Pretty is as pretty does.
You are beautiful inside . . .
This next diet will . . .
Plastic surgery is not out of the question . . .
It is a trap that we can easily fall into. Of course, it doesn't stop with our concerns about ourselves. We can simply see another person for seconds and make all kinds of judgments as in -- they could sure dress better, weigh less, get a hair cut, shave, learn to use makeup, get a job, get a new boyfriend, work out, eat more, eat less, be kinder, get over themselves . . . That list could also go on and on.
In reading this week in 1st Samuel, I was struck with how the Lord knows our tendencies and gives us wise counsel over and over again.
You may remember that Israel longed for a king. They wanted to "look" like all the other nations. They were weary of God being their leader. They wanted a leader that they could see and touch and follow. Samuel plead with them but to no avail. God answered their cries and Saul was anointed king (after they found him hiding in the baggage!)
Saul was tall and handsome. He looked like a king. He drew others to himself with that natural kind of charisma. Unfortunately, his character was lacking and he turned out to be a selfish and undisciplined king. God withdrew His spirit from him. Things went from bad to worse. Samuel was sent to anoint a new king.
Samuel resisted. Saul was his man. He had poured a great deal of himself into Saul and his reign. He was also a bit fearful that Saul would react violently. He had reason to worry about that! Yet - he obeyed, although his heart was broken to see what had become of Saul. Here is God's advice as He sends Samuel on his way to anoint this new king.
But God told Samuel, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart."
Do you ever wonder how very different the world would be if instead of seeing each others outward looks, we could see right into their heart? For some, their beautiful outsides would match up perfectly with their beautiful heart. For others, their outward beauty would disappear as the true nature of their heart was revealed. Those that may be overlooked in our culture due to their outward appearance not matching up with our current definition of beauty, may, indeed, have the most beautiful heart that you have ever seen. It would be interesting, to say the least.
Maybe, like me, you spend a good deal of time trying to exercise and eat well to take care of your body. That is a good thing. But I began to wonder if I was taking such care to tend to my heart?
The word "heart" is used in scripture 805 times. There are hard hearts, tender hearts, hearts of integrity, hearts of darkness, hearts of wisdom . . . this would make a really interesting study in and of itself!
I want to run a check on my heart for service, my discipline of prayer and Bible study, my interactions with those I know and those I do not know, my love for Jesus and how I am nurturing that love.
How I long for the Lord to see beauty when He looks inside of me!
The good news is that when the Lord looks at me, He sees the righteousness of Christ. He sees me as His beautiful child.
With that gift, I should be able to extend that kind of grace to others.
I don't want to stumble over someone's outward appearance, whether it be one of perceived beauty or not. I want to see their heart and appreciate them for who the Lord made them to be. When I see a dark heart - I want my first response to be one of prayer and my actions to be ones of grace and kindness. I want to respond to darkness with the same grace that the Lord shows me in my darkest moments.
As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.
Proverbs 27:19
May our hearts reflect the beauty of our Savior.
No comments:
Post a Comment