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There is something super encouraging about the way God chose David.
When Samuel arrived in Bethlehem to anoint Israel's next king, everyone naturally assumed the oldest son would be the one. Eliab looked the part. He was strong, experienced, and carried himself like a leader. One by one, Jesse's sons stood before Samuel, and one by one, God quietly said, "No."
Finally Samuel asked, "Are these all the sons you have?"
Jesse almost answered yes.
"There is still the youngest," he replied, "but right now he's tending the sheep." (1 Samuel 16:11)
David wasn't forgotten by God - but he had been overlooked by almost everyone else.
While the family gathered for an important sacrifice, David was doing what he had always done. Watching sheep. Protecting them from danger. Spending long hours in quiet fields where no one applauded his faithfulness and no one noticed his integrity.
It was these lonely fields that became the classroom where God was shaping a king.
Before David ever faced Goliath, he learned courage while protecting sheep.
Before he led a nation, he learned to faithfully care for what belonged to someone else.
Before anyone placed a crown on his head, God had already been forming his heart.
That's why the Lord said to Samuel,
"Humans do not see what the LORD sees, for humans see what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart."
1 Samuel 16:7 (CSB)
Those words are challenging.
So much of our world encourages us to chase visibility. We measure success by titles, accomplishments, followers, and recognition. But God measures something entirely different. He is looking for hearts that trust Him, obey Him, and remain faithful whether anyone else notices or not.
As I walk across campus this summer, I find myself thinking about David's pasture.
The sidewalks are quiet. Students are scattered, working summer jobs or spending time with family. From the outside, it might seem like very little is happening.
But I've learned that God often does His deepest work during the quiet seasons.
Summer is when conversations are prepared. Lessons are written. Leaders are prayed over. Plans are made. More importantly, it is a season where God continues to shape hearts—including my own.
Perhaps you're in one of those seasons too.
Maybe your work feels unnoticed. Maybe you're faithfully serving your family, caring for aging parents, showing up at your job each day, or quietly walking with Christ without much recognition from anyone else.
Be encouraged.
The God who saw David in the pasture still sees His people today.
Nothing done in faithfulness is ever wasted. The quiet places where no one else is watching are often the very places where God is preparing us for what comes next.
May we be content to be faithful where He has placed us today, trusting that the God who looks at the heart knows exactly what He is doing.
Andy
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