God Looks at the Heart

Most of us are quite familiar with David of the Old Testament. We know the story of his fight with the giant and his failure with the flesh. We know of the beautiful songs and Psalms that he wrote and we know the story of his kingship. I always have enjoyed reading the story of when he was chosen by the prophet Samuel to replace Saul as king.

Samuel could have easily passed over young David as a potential king had he not listened to the clear instructions that the Lord gave him. By human standards, David was a young shepherd and not a likely candidate for such a position. However, the instructions to Samuel were clear:

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

‘The Lord looks at the heart’ is a beautiful statement and one that we should often be reminded of. One of the greatest weaknesses of human nature is to make judgments based on the external. God is not the God of the fashion show, the ‘in’ crowd, or the upwardly mobile. He is the God who knows the heart and He cannot be bought or impressed with material things or physical beauty.

In year 177AD in the city of Lyon, France there was a young, frail girl by the name of Blandina. She was a slave girl owned by a Christian and both were placed in captivity because of their faith. Blandina’s friends were fearful that she would deny Christ during her torture because of her frail frame and quiet disposition. They were looking only at her body and not at her heart.

Eusebius gives a full account of Blandina in his book on church history written in 325AD. He notes that this frail young girl endured some of the worst torture that was ever invented in the evil hearts of men. She was abused in every way imaginable, and yet, her executioners became exhausted “as they did not know what more they could to do her.” In every instance of abuse, pain, and humiliation, she would cry out “I am a Christian and there is nothing vile done by us.”

Finally Blandina was taken to the amphitheater in Lyon to face the crowds and the beasts. They beat her, roasted her over a fire, and had her thrown before wild bulls that threw her into the air with their horns. At last she was put to peace with the thrust of a dagger. This frail young virgin inspired countless others to hold fast to their faith in spite of horrendous suffering.

Today the ruins of that amphitheater can still be found in Lyon, France. There is a pole and a plaque that honors Blandina and the others who died there. The pole is a reminder that many were tied to it and were devoured by wild animals. When Blandina was tied to the pole the animals would not come near her, which is why they roasted her and threw her to the bulls.

Young, small, and frail, but with a heart huge for God, our sister Blandina is a great reminder that God looks at the heart. God sees beyond all that is external and knows what is brewing in the soul. God knows that inner strength is more useful and noble than physical strength. Maybe somewhere along the way Blandina had read the words of Paul written to the Christians at Corinth, “Be on your guard; stand firm; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”

I know this passage says, “Be men of courage” but let’s be honest. There are more women of courage in this world than men. I am speaking here of spiritual and moral courage, of course. As I have traveled to many parts of the world I often wonder where the work of the Lord would be without the women. Yes, there are times when the men have been killed off or have been taken away into slavery leaving the women there to stand firm. But there are more times when the women are just more inclined to the things of the Lord. They rise to the top spiritually because they are more committed to the Lord.

The importance of women in the spreading of the Gospel and the building up of believers in the history of the church is undeniable! Even today we can look at our churches and see that in many ways the women are the backbone of the work that is being done. And, it’s not just the work that they do; it’s the spiritual insight that they bring to the Body. Yes, it’s true there are some women who are just mean-spirited busybodies as the Bible says, but there are greater numbers who love the Lord, stand firm in their faith, and help move the Kingdom forward. The spirit of Blandina is still in the hearts of many women here and around the world.

Whether you are male or female you cannot help but read of Blandina and wonder how you would have done. When you read about how they locked her in a metal grate and set about barbequing her, do you wonder how you would have behaved? I think about that a lot and I have come to the conclusion that God gives grace in those situations and that if I only know God as a creed or a story from an ancient book, then I will fail. To stand strong in the face of torture, or job loss, or deteriorating health, one must truly know the Lord Jesus Christ in his or her heart and life.

I have said a thousand times, it’s hard to trust someone you don’t know so we must get to know our Lord so much better!

God Bless You,

Dan

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries