The elder brothers, from whom Samuel would have chosen, did not possess the qualifications that God saw to be essential in a ruler of His people. Proud, self-centered, self-confident, they were set aside for the one whom they lightly regarded, one who had preserved the simplicity and sincerity of his youth, and who, while little in his own sight, could be trained by God for the responsibilities of the kingdom. So today, in many a child whom the parents would pass by, God sees capabilities far above those revealed by others who are thought to possess great promise.

De ældre brødre, blandt hvilke Samuel ville have udvalgt en, var ikke i besiddelse af de egenskaber, som Gud vidste ville være de vigtigste for en hersker over hans folk. Stolte, selvoptagne og selvsikre som de var, blev de tilsidesat til fordel for en, som de ikke regnede for meget, en, som havde bevaret sin barnlige enfoldighed og oprigtighed, og som, skønt han i sine egne øjne kun var ringe, kunne opdrages af Gud til at overtage ansvaret for riget. I mange børn, som forældrene er tilbøjelige til at forbigå, ser Gud også i dag evner, der står langt over andres, der blev anset for at være særlig lovende.