“In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, 

but Samuel said to Jesse, 

‘The LORD has not chosen any one of these.’

Then Samuel asked Jesse,

‘Are these all the sons you have?’

Jesse replied,

‘There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.’

Samuel said to Jesse,

‘Send for him; 

we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.’

Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them.

He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold 

and making a splendid appearance.

The LORD said,

‘There—anoint him, for this is the one!’”

In high school, we did an exercise in math class about the golden ratio. A ratio is how many times one number contains another and the golden ratio relates to a number that is subdivided into two where the ratio of the whole to the larger of the subdivided parts is equal to the ratio of the larger of the subdivided parts to the smaller. Yeah, I know, I’ve lost most of you (I’m basically lost myself). In any case, it was presented by Mr. Clem as a means to mathematically determine beauty or perfection. We took measurements of our bodies to determine who in the class was closest to the golden ratio. After all of our calculations, my body was the closest. I most represented beauty or perfection. I wanted to crawl under a rock. I was acne-ridden, pudgy, not near popular, handsome, or athletic, and hadn’t even yet had a date (well, one, but I’m not sure it counted). I was smart, driven, broad in my interests, artistic, open, and had leadership potential, but those hardly counted for beauty or perfection. Mr. Clem, however, beamed. He saw with the eyes of a mathematician. In his eyes, I was near perfect. In everyone else’s eyes (mine included), it called into question whether math had any real value for our lives. 

Samuel saw with the eyes of God. David, not even considered by Jesse, the youngest, out tending the sheep, was chosen by God to be king. I’m sure that everyone else called into question whether this anointing had any real value for their lives or for the kingdom. Sure, David was “ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance,” but what does that have to do with being king? He wasn’t what anyone would have expected. Yet, the Lord said, “There—anoint him, for this is the one.” It calls to mind that the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. Jesus, himself, rejected by all, was truly the son of God, the Messiah, the savior of the world. At another decisive point in my life, I told Archbishop Kelly that I didn’t think I fit the “mold” to become a priest. His reply, witty and brief, was, “I don’t ordain robots.” There is something profound here that I don’t want you to miss. 

GOD has chosen you. 

God HAS CHOSEN you. 

God has chosen YOU. 

As God sees it, you are the one he needs, the one he loves, the one who is beautiful and perfect. Everyone else may balk, even you may do so, but God sees with his own eyes. God has chosen you. You are the apple of his eye. The object of his affection. His beloved. You are the one. Don’t be blind. See with the eyes of God.