Well, Well, Well • followHIM Favorites • June 8-14 • Come, Follow Me

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary

followHIM Favorites • June 8-14 • Come, Follow Me

Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Guest: Jeff Wright
Air Date: June 4, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This episode of "followHIM Favorites" focuses on the timeless lesson from 1 Samuel 16:7: “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway, along with guest Jeff Wright, discuss how this scripture shapes our perceptions of others, emphasizing the potential found in unexpected places and people, both from scriptural stories and contemporary real-life examples.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Story of David’s Anointing

• Scripture Reference: 1 Samuel 16:7. Samuel, under the Lord’s guidance, seeks Israel’s next king. Initially, he expects the choice to match traditional expectations of appearance and stature.
• Discussion:
  • Jeff Wright summarizes the episode: Samuel overlooks David, thinking he doesn’t "look the part" of a king, but learns God’s criteria are based on the heart, not appearance.

  "The prophet Samuel basically learns the lesson from the Lord. I look on the heart. Man looks on the outward appearance. I look on the heart." – Jeff Wright (00:32)

2. Modern Parallel – The Story of Ryan Hurljack

• Background:

  • In January 1998, 6-year-old Ryan Hurljack hears in school about water scarcity in Africa. Motivated to help, he saves money, wrongly believing a well costs only $70.
  • Upon learning a well costs $2,000, Ryan doesn’t give up. Through fundraising and perseverance, he eventually establishes the Ryan’s Well Foundation, which, over 25 years, has built 1,500 wells providing safe water to over 1 million people.

• Discussion Highlights:

  • Both Jeff and John admire how a child's compassion leads to tremendous impact, drawing a direct connection to David’s unlikely rise.

  "His little heart said, 'I can do something about that.' ... You might look at that little boy and think, well, that's not the guy that's going to change a million lives and give them fresh water." – Jeff Wright (02:23)

  "Wow. Just because a teacher said some people don't have water. And that struck something in his heart." – John (02:15)

  • The foundation also focuses on health and safety, building latrines with consideration for water protection.

3. Embracing Youth and Potential

• Scripture Tie-In:

  • The hosts highlight the message not to underestimate youth, referencing the Pauline encouragement, “Let no man despise thy youth.”

  "I know, John, you love the verse, 'let no man despise thy youth.' That's kind of a similar verse. Don't let anybody think, well, you're young, you can't do anything." – Jeff Wright (03:05)

  • Examples given: Samuel was only 10; many biblical heroes were young.

• Takeaway:

  • Listeners are encouraged not to judge others’ capabilities or potential by external traits, especially age; God sees deeper.

  "The next time you see someone and you kind of discount them by their appearance, you might remember the Lord looks on the heart." – Jeff Wright (03:23)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." – 1 Samuel 16:7, recurring theme (00:32)
• "His little heart said, 'I can do something about that.'" – Jeff Wright (02:23)
• "Just because a teacher said some people don't have water. And that struck something in his heart." – John (02:15)
• "Don’t let anybody think, well, you’re young, you can’t do anything." – Jeff Wright (03:06)
• "We hope you'll join us on our full podcast. We are with Dr. Jeff Wright this week. He does a masterful job with these chapters." – Teaser to full episode (03:23)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:03 – Introduction & setup of 1 Samuel 16:7 story
• 00:32 – The heart of the lesson: God does not judge by outward appearances
• 01:05 – Introduction of Ryan Hurljack’s story
• 02:15 – Reflection on the impact of Ryan’s actions
• 02:53 – Embracing the potential of youth; biblical examples
• 03:23 – Concluding encouragement and teaser for the full main episode

---

Episode Tone & Takeaways

• Tone and Language: Warm, encouraging, and faith-driven, with an emphasis on hope, potential, and seeing others as God does.
• Key Takeaway: Never discount yourself or others based on outward appearance or age—God knows our hearts and what we can become.

---

For enriching study insights and further scriptural discussion, listeners are invited to tune into the full "Follow HIM" podcast episode with Dr. Jeff Wright.

Transcript

[Jeff Wright]

Welcome to Follow him favorites. John and I are sharing a single story to go with each week's Come follow me lesson John, we're in 1st Samuel 16, 7. Do you remember this story?

[John]

Oh yeah, it's a great one.

[Jeff Wright]

This is where Samuel the prophet is looking for the new king. He's looking at all these boys who look like kings, but none of them are the ones the Lord wants. The then they find this young. Isn't he a shepherd, John?

[John]

Yeah, he's out with the sheep. Well, we got one more over there.

[Jeff Wright]

Yeah, we didn't bring him up. He doesn't look the part. And the prophet Samuel basically learns the lesson from the Lord. I look on the heart. Man looks on the outward appearance. I look on the heart. Okay, I want to tell you about a little six year old boy that you would look at, maybe a six year old boy, John, and think that's not a person who's going to change lives. But he does. January 1998. Six year old boy Ryan Hurljack was sitting in his first grade classroom in Ontario. His teacher said something pretty simple. She said, you know, there's people in Africa who are sick and dying because they don't have clean water. This struck this little boy apparently John, he was, he was pretty upset. He went and talked to his teacher about it. He decided he was going to do something about it. He thought it would take about $70 to drill a well. So he, he did extra chores and he saved up and got $70 and he was, he was going to bring it to whoever. I don't know how he gets ahold of people who build wells and they said, oh, I'm so sorry. The real cost is about $2,000 now John, I think he might say, well that is way too big, way too much. Kind of like a David and Goliath too story. I think what the Lord sees in Ryan, he doesn't yet see it himself, but I guess he thought, why not me? So this little boy starts saving up his money and fundraising and he built his first well in Uganda when he was seven. It's been over 25 years now, John. And the Ryan's well foundation, get this, has completed over 1500 well projects bringing safe water to more than 1 million people.

[John]

Wow. Just because a teacher said some people don't have water. And that struck something in his heart.

[Jeff Wright]

His little heart said, I can do something about that. It's pretty fantastic. And John, not only that, but the foundation has raised over a million dollars and also builds now latrines, keeping them a safe distance from water. Pretty incredible story. You might look at that little boy and think, well, that's not the guy that's going to change a million lives and give them fresh water. So the question is, what's happening in his heart? Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

[John]

The Lord's like, yeah, I actually have a six year old who's going to change the world a little bit in Africa. I'll start working on this. Over 1500 wells, we do that.

[Jeff Wright]

I know, John, you love the verse, let no man despise thy youth. That's kind of a similar verse. Don't let anybody think, well, you're young, you can't do anything.

[John]

Yeah, exactly. And so many examples of those that are young. In fact, in the Old Testament we looked at Samuel, who's only 10, and going to be more examples as we go through all of the standard works.

[Jeff Wright]

The next time you see someone and you kind of discount them by their appearance, you might remember the Lord looks on the heart. Hey, we hope you'll join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts. We are with Dr. Jeff Wright this week. He does a masterful job with these chapters. And John, if you remember, he tells a story about him and his son up in the mountains in the snow that you do not want to miss. And then come back here next week we'll do another Follow him favorites.