The Jesse Tree: Day 14

Even a glance at King David’s life reveals some impressive feats. As a boy, he defeated the giant Goliath, freeing his country. As a king, he expanded Israel’s territory, guiding the nation in battle. And when it came to his prowess as a warrior, as the song goes, David slayed his “tens of thousands.”

Among warrior-kings, he fits in the ranks of Achilles and Hercules, the one exception being that he’s not a myth. David was a real person.

Yet, while his military conquests are often revisited, what’s forgotten about David are his softer characteristics. How he penned beautiful songs and poetry, weaving language and melody together with mastery. Or the depth of relationship he enjoyed with his friend, Jonathan, whom he loved like a brother. Or the way he cared for his sheep, remembering their nicknames and quirks with fondness—those silly, smelly animals.

He was a warrior-king unlike any other, but at heart, David was also a humble shepherd.

Which partly must be why his father overlooked him as a boy. When it came to appearances, his older brothers were the obvious choices. But thankfully, God regards the heart far more than outward appearances. When Samuel wanted to choose David’s older brother, God provided this instruction:

Life today abounds with voices proclaiming the importance of carefully crafting and monitoring our appearance. What begins with healthy diet and exercise develops into endless pressure around expensive cosmetics, gym memberships, and even surgeries. Or what started as an avenue for maintaining contact with family and friends evolved into anxiety-inducing habits of continual checking and scrolling.

Rather than cultivating our hearts, the constant temptation is towards crafting our appearances.

But God’s choice of David reminds us that the priority isn’t appearances. It’s the heart. As David’s own son would write one day:

Every holiday season, we find ourselves swarmed by ads describing what a perfect Christmas requires. All the glitter and glamour necessary to do this holiday right. But this year, instead of letting these glittering images capture our attention, let’s draw our minds to what God cares about most—the heart.

Because Jesus came, not in flashes of dazzling glory, but humbly, in a quiet manger in Bethlehem. And he came to not renovate our reputations or fix our appearances, but to heal our hearts. Take time this season to slow down, to be quiet, and to recognize the hidden qualities of our lives. Take time for your heart, for from it flows the springs of life.