The Book is Better than the Movie...

     This time of year it is fun for booklovers like me to look at the list of books that I have read and make a new list of books that I would like to read. Last year didn't go as planned (understatement), so I wound up working a lot and not taking care of myself as well as I should have. So, this year I am hoping to hit my goal of reading quantity (20) and quality (good mix of professional and pleasure).  Cataloging my library is also overdue so that I can accurately update my wish lists. I will be enlisting my in house librarian. I can no longer just remember all of my books. In my favor, I have not repeatedly bought the same book thinking I didn't have it. Although, there was the repeated gifting of that certain Study Bible from a loved one that will go unnamed. 

     Now, of course is ripe for the "best of the year" lists. So, I checked out Christianity Today's post for 2021. Which, is interesting because the year is barely getting going, how can we know which books will truly rise to the top? One about mob mentality could be a bestseller! All the lists that I have seen, though, have a similar format--small picture of the cover and a short description with a review describing why it is worthy of the list. Let's be honest, we all make a mental note of the cover appearance so that we can find it. Yet, the old book-buyer's proverb remains mostly true--"You can't judge a book by its cover." You can't judge a book by its review either. I have bought several books that failed on both counts.

     Our reading for today connects with our essentially human propensity for superficial evaluations. I will pause here for the reading.

1 Samuel 16:1-13

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

"...They look on the outward appearance, but The Lord looks on the heart." This is not a singular reference point for this very Biblical understanding. A good direction for further study and discovery is a listing of heart criteria that God looks for. Booklovers might say, "The Book is better than the movie," but God says that the lives lived in love will be leaders for my Way!