Bottom Line: Learn to let God keep score of all that counts.

People count what is seen.

God counts what is unseen.

2. Sifting is a process to find what really counts.

3. God is often the God of the underdog.

START TALKING

When have you "kept score" one way but someone else was "keeping score" completely differently? Maybe it was a gift that you just knew they would like or a job where you thought you were failing or succeeding but your boss was measuring it differently?

START THINKING

Read 1 Samuel 16:1-3. This story is built upon a profound trust in God before Samuel even gets to Bethlehem to meet with Jesse and his sons. What was that foundation of trust? What does this teach us about Samuel? How does this apply to what would be needed from Samuel in the verses ahead so that he would choose the correct son to be king?

Read just the first sentence of 1 Samuel 16:4. Why is this so important?

Now read the rest of 1 Samuel 16:4. What foreshadowing do you see in this verse regarding how this entire episode will ultimately connect us to the Gospel? Why did the elders in the town tremble when Samuel arrived? (hint...read 1 Samuel 15:33 or all of 1 Samuel 15!)

START SHARING

Read 1 Samuel 16:5-7. When have you taken one look at a circumstance or situation and thought you knew exactly what was best or even what God wanted, but He made it clear that was not the case? How did you know it wasn't God's plan even though at first you thought it was?

How have you experienced that people look at what is seen but God looks at what is unseen? How does this phrase resonate with or speak to or challenge you: "The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them."

Read 1 Samuel 16:8-11. Then read Malachi 3:2-4. How does this passage relate to this idea of sifting and what Samuel went through and what we will often go through, too? When has God sifted you or put you through the "refiner's fire" through a process where each time you thought you knew what was best he revealed to you that He had another plan or got rid of the impurities holding you back? What did you learn through that process?

When have you experienced the reality that God is often the God of the underdog? How did this give God glory? How did that require only God to be God rather than you or someone or something else getting the credit for making it happen?

START DOING

What do you need to do so that you can let God be the one that keeps score and reveals to you what is best in your life? What is one practical step that you sense the Spirit leading you to take this week so that He can be the one that counts and keeps score?

Because Samuel let God take him through this process, it ultimately laid the foundation for Jesus to come and save the world! What might be the "ripple effect" of your own life allowing God to be God and learning to let what matters to Him be what counts to you?

START PRAYING

Pray for the practical steps that each person gave above. Pray for the ripple effect of Kingdom impact to be far greater than any of us can imagine as we all pursue seeing as God sees and counting what God counts. Pray that each of us would have the humility of Jesse to not fight when God reveals that He has a different plan, even when that different plan doesn't seem to make sense.