Saul has proved himself unworthy to be king and God has rejected him, telling Samuel to find and anoint one of the sons of Jesse as king. All of Jesse’s sons meet with Samuel, who is warned by God not to pay attention to outward appearances, for God sees what is on the inside. It is only when Jesse’s youngest son is brought in from tending the sheep that God says, ‘This is the one’. Anointed by Samuel, the spirit of God came upon David.

This week’s Old Testament reading draws our attention to the need for change. God wants us to go on growing, and we learn from Samuel’s experience that it’s often our attitudes that have to change. If we’re willing to change, God will do the rest.