It's time for some encouragement from your friends at Our Daily Bread.

The reading today titled No More Prejudice, was written by Marvin Williams.

Many years ago, Julie Lansman auditioned for Principal French Hornist for New York's

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. The Met held their auditions behind a screen to avoid prejudice

by the judges. Lansman did well in her audition and ended up winning the competition.

But when she stepped out from behind the screen,

some of the all-male judges walked to the rear of the room and turned their backs on her.

Apparently, they were looking for someone else. When the Israelites asked for a king in 1st Samuel,

God accommodated the people and gave them a man who was

physically imposing like the other nations had. But because Saul's first years as king

were marked by faithlessness and disobedience, God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new

king. When Samuel saw Eliieab, the oldest son,

he assumed that God had chosen him to be king because he was physically impressive. But God

challenged Samuel's thinking, saying, people look at the outward appearance, but the Lord

looks at the heart. God had chosen David to lead his people. When evaluating

people's ability and suitability for his purposes, God looks at character, will, and motives. He

invites us to be attuned to see the world and people as he does, focusing on people's hearts and not their

outward appearance or credentials.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 1 Samuel, chapter 16,

verses 1 through 7. The Lord said to Samuel,

How long will you mourn for Saul since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with

oil and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.

...