Humans look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7:  The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

The central Bible truth from this verse is

that we humans look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

a) On one level, there is a theological lesson: God loves you for your whole being and not as you outwardly appear.  Humans judge others on what is visible and sometimes imagined characteristics based on your status, wealth, class, race, gender, culture, education and many others things.  But when our hearts are right with God we have a relationship with him and all these worldly tags and stereotypes make no difference to the Lord and his love for us.  God looks on the heart.

b)  On a second level, it has an ethical lesson: We ought to view other people as God views them. We should honour them for what they, by the grace of God, became through their relationship with Christ

or for what they became in turning away from God.

People are either our brothers and sisters in the Lord, or

people in need of Christ and his redemption and we should reach out to them with the gospel.