Glowing With Health

"Rise and anoint him; this is the one." --1 Samuel 16:12 Believe it or not, I used to sing solos in church and school. Growing up in a gospel-singing family I guess you could say it was in my blood. Too funny: my first solo in the 4th grade was John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads." I remember mother made me wear this Davy Crockett-looking jacket with leather strands hanging down from everywhere. I can assure you I wasn't much to listen to, but I bet I was something to behold. She probably still has the jacket.

Speaking of something to behold, my favorite solo in church was a song about young David called "Shepherd Boy." I thought of that old song yesterday while reading about Samuel. See Samuel was the one who anointed David as the future king. The last of all the brothers to pass in front of Samuel, the Lord said, "Rise up and anoint him. This is the one."

I know I've talked about David in the past -- about how he chose stones to defeat his giant. But something in my reading caught my attention. As he was being brought before Samuel, the Bible says of young David, "He was glowing with health..." (ch.16:12) Neat right?

This is the way they described the shepherd boy from the pastures of Bethlehem. The shepherd boy who would drop the armor and then drop Goliath. The shepherd boy who would hide in caves, fight entire armies, and write Psalms. And above all, this is the way they described the shepherd boy who would come to be known as a man after God's own heart.

Friends, like we said yesterday about having ears for what God hears, may that be our goal -- to glow with health, for no other reason but that our hearts are looking more and more like His. --Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: I doubt there's a higher compliment in all the Bible than what David is known for: For his heart to look like God's. Anyone agree? And doesn't the thought of "glowing with health" for that reason do something to you? Just, wow.