unseen

 
For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
- 1 Samuel 16:7b (NKJV)
 
Growing up, I was very sheltered. I didn’t have many friends, and I never quite fit in with the popular group in high school. That feeling didn’t magically disappear with adulthood. Even in the workplace, I found myself trying to be the “popular girl,” striving to be liked, accepted, wanted.
I once had a manager tell me, “Not everyone has to like you. Not everyone wants to be your friend.”
Those words cut deeper than I expected.
And if I’m honest, I still struggle there. For whatever reason, I still want to be loved, to feel loved, to be wanted and needed. That ache hasn’t fully gone away.
The Bible tells us about a woman who knew that ache well—Leah.
Leah was overlooked. She was the second choice. She was the one who felt unseen, unwanted, and quietly endured life in the background. Leah’s entire life was measured by comparison. Rachel was chosen by appearance. Rachel was loved openly, celebrated easily, admired without effort. Leah lived in the shadow of that comparison, knowing she was not the one Jacob wanted.
Yet Leah was chosen by God’s purposes.
Her story reminds us that God’s favor is not measured by human affection. His plans are not hindered by our wounds. And being seen by God matters more than being chosen by people.
I think that’s why Leah’s story still reaches so deeply into our hearts—because so many of us know what it feels like to live on the outside of the “in” crowd. Leah teaches us that this longing doesn’t disqualify us. It doesn’t sideline us from God’s work. It doesn’t make us less valuable. While people measure worth by appearance, popularity, or approval, God looks straight at the heart—and He chooses differently.
Leah may not have been chosen by people, but she was seen by God.
And that made all the difference.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible