Object: A Watermelon

Lesson Title: “God Looks at the Heart”

Theme: True worth is found inside, not outside

Devotion:

Hold up a watermelon and ask, “What do you think this is like inside?” Most people expect it to be juicy, red, and sweet—but from the outside, you really can’t tell for sure. Some watermelons have tough, dull green rinds with scratches or bumps. They may not look very impressive. But once you cut them open, you find something refreshing and valuable inside.

This is how people can be. Sometimes we judge others—or ourselves—by the outside: how we look, what we wear, how popular we are, or even how much we mess up. But God doesn’t see the way people do. He sees deeper. He sees our hearts—what we love, what we believe, and who we’re becoming inside.

In the Bible, when the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint a new king, he looked at the tall, handsome sons of Jesse and thought surely one of them was the right choice. But God told him no. Then God said something powerful: “Man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.” Eventually, Samuel anointed David—just a young shepherd boy, not impressive on the outside, but full of faith and love for God.

Like a watermelon, we may be misunderstood or underestimated based on how we look. But our true value is what’s inside—a heart that loves God, trusts Jesus, and is filled with the fruit of the Spirit.

Scripture Verse:

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.’”

—1 Samuel 16:7 (WEB)

Reflection Questions:

• Do I sometimes judge people by how they look or act on the outside?
• What does God see when He looks at my heart today?
• How can I grow a heart that pleases God?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for seeing past the outside and loving me for who I truly am. Help me to care more about what’s in my heart than what people see on the surface. Teach me to see others the way You do, with love and grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.