The Perils of First Impressions

In our 2021 summer worship series, "A Summer with David: lessons from an imperfect king" we're following the story of David and the beginnings of the monarchy in Israel. In her second sermon in the series, "The Perils of First Impressions," Pastor Nancy explores the selection and anointing of the young David to be the next king of Israel. How do we decide who will be a good leader? The writer of Samuel contrasts the decision-making of the prophet Samuel with the way God discerns, writing "God sees with the heart." Pastor Nancy explains, "In our day we think of the heart as emotional, speaking of feelings. But in the ancient world the heart was the center of one's being: encompassing one’s emotions, yes, but also one's intelligence, discernment, wisdom, character--all the intangible things that make up our existence, who we are as a human being. Taken this way, the text suggests God sees holistically, with the fullest sense of understanding and insight."  Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:34 - 16:13