- Scripture Verse: Love each other deeply. Honor others more than yourselves. Romans 12:10 (NIrV)
Bottom Line: Honor those who are overlooked.
Have you guys ever heard of King David from the Bible? If you haven’t, he was a pretty famous king—one of the first kings of Israel. But before he became King, did you know that he was just a regular kid like you? In fact, if you could go back in time and meet David as a young boy, he’d never believe you if you told him that he would one day be a king.
Guess who else didn’t believe it? His family. See, David had brothers—a lot of brothers. In fact, David had seven older brothers. One day, while David was out taking care of his family’s sheep, a man named Samuel came to see his father, Jesse. God had told Samuel that the next King would be one of Jesse’s sons. So Jesse brought each of his sons to Samuel so that he could find the one God had chosen as King. But after looking at all seven of David’s older brothers, Samuel said, “the Lord has not chosen any of these.” You see, God’s choice for a new king didn’t have anything to do with how strong or handsome or popular he was. God wasn’t looking at the outside. He was looking at what was on the inside—his character, the way he treated others, the condition of his heart.
Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons. When Jesse told him that he had one more, he went on to say, “He’s out in the fields, tending the sheep.” It was as if Jesse had completely overlooked David. But God hadn’t overlooked him. David, while the youngest—maybe even the least likely choice in people’s eyes—was God’s choice to be King.
This is a great lesson for us too. God wants us to remember to honor those who are overlooked. He wants you to care about the kid in your class who everyone else ignores. He wants you to look out for someone who is constantly is picked on. Honor those who are overlooked.
