When Will My Reflection Show Who I Am Inside?

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, March 15th, 2026:
Fourth Sunday of Lent

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First Samuel
1b, 6-7, 10-13 

The Lord said to Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

When the sons of Jesse came, Samuel looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as the human sees; the human looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” Jesse sent and brought David in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

“For the Lord does not see as the human sees; the human looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”


I think our society has too many mirrors, and I’d love for there to be a significant reduction in these reflective pieces of glass, simply because it would mean that I would have less opportunities to scrutinize my appearance and fixate on my imperfections. It’s a wonder to think that there was a time in human history when the most accessible image you had of yourself might have come from the surface of a rippled pond or a polished piece of dark metal. Distorted reflections, though not entirely accurate depictions, conveniently leave little room for analysis.  

The human looks on the outward appearance. Yes, this is how I’ve been conditioned to judge my own worth, my self-esteem rising and falling with ridiculous beauty standards that I’ve absorbed over the years. The mirror seems to go against its natural function by teaming up with my negative thoughts, and together they concoct a depressing narrative about my face and my body. I often forget that the mirror has very severe limitations in storytelling, since it doesn’t show me what’s on the inside.

But the Lord looks on the heart. The idea that worthiness emanates from within, after so many years of measuring it externally, feels quite foreign. Recently, I learned that Cleopatra was never described for her beauty, contrary to what mainstream movies told me. She was described for the qualities unseen: Her charisma, her wit, her intelligence. I imagine David’s qualities would’ve been ones of courage, faith, and sincerity.

Lord, what are these things on the inside that You are seeing in me? Would You give me the eyes to see them too?

I’ve made you in My image and My likeness. Am I not Truth, Goodness, and Beauty? 


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Vanessa Noujaim

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