What Lies Beneath the Surface? (1 Samuel 16:7)

Just a month before we visited Mount Etna in Sicily, the volcano had erupted, with lava flowing down its slopes. I wondered what it would be like to stand on an active volcano so soon after an eruption.

We took a cable car partway up the mountain and then continued in a specially equipped vehicle that brought us higher up the slopes. The landscape was unlike anything I had seen before. There were vast expanses of black volcanic rock, scattered boulders, and very little vegetation. It reminded me of what I imagined the surface of the moon would look like.

Our guide explained that Mount Etna was still very much active. To demonstrate, he dug a few inches into the volcanic ground. To my surprise, steam began rising from the shallow hole. I tried it myself, digging into the loose volcanic material, and watched as steam rose from the ground.

I found this fascinating. We were walking on what appeared to be solid, stable ground, yet there was enough heat just beneath the surface to produce steam. It was a reminder that what we see doesn’t always tell us what is actually happening.

As a dermatopathologist, I spent much of my professional life examining skin biopsies under the microscope. What appeared to be a harmless spot on the skin could turn out to be a malignant melanoma. Conversely, a lesion that looked quite alarming to the patient might prove to be entirely benign. The appearance of something on the surface didn’t necessarily tell the whole story.

I wonder how often I make that same mistake when looking at people. We form impressions of others almost immediately, often based on their appearance, their behavior, or a brief conversation. We may think someone has everything going for them, without knowing the difficulties they are facing. We may also dismiss someone because they don’t seem particularly impressive, without appreciating their character or faith.

This reminds me of the account in 1 Samuel 16, when God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint the next king of Israel. Samuel met Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, and was immediately impressed. He assumed that Eliab must be the one God had chosen. But God told him otherwise.

For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)

One by one, Jesse presented his sons to Samuel, but none was God’s choice. Finally, Samuel asked whether there were any others. Jesse mentioned his youngest son, David, who was tending the sheep. David hadn’t even been called to join the gathering, yet he was the one God had chosen to become king.

I find this account particularly meaningful because I recognize how easily I can be influenced by appearances. Even after a career devoted to looking beyond what was visible to the naked eye, I still make assumptions about people based on what I see.

Of course, looking beneath the surface of a skin biopsy is relatively straightforward. I have a microscope and years of training to help me arrive at a diagnosis. Understanding another person’s heart is an entirely different matter. Only God truly knows what is there.

I enjoyed our visit to Mount Etna, especially the spectacular volcanic scenery and the opportunity to experience firsthand the heat still present beneath the ground. But that little experiment with our guide is what I remember most vividly.

Perhaps the next time I find myself forming an opinion about someone, I’ll remember digging into the slopes of Mount Etna. There may be much more to that person than I can see or appreciate.

And I should be careful not to assume otherwise.

Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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