“The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
Bob was browsing the magazine rack at Barnes and Noble looking for a landscape magazine to get ideas for a new flower garden. Suddenly, a single cover caught his attention. It displayed a rock garden with roses in various old pottery, churns, bowls, etc. It appeared to be what he was looking for, so Bob purchased the magazine and went to Lowes to pick up some tools he needed.
At home, Bob settled into his easy chair with a cup of coffee and the magazine. As he turned the pages, he discovered that there was nothing at all about the cover’s picture. No story explaining how to lay out the garden. No more pictures, nothing. Not even an acknowledgement from the publisher that they had liked the picture and used it only to sell the magazine.
Well, Bob was furious. He had spent money for something that appeared to be what he wanted but did not contain what he was looking for. While he was raging around thinking about how he could get revenge on the magazine, Barnes and Noble, and anyone he else who might be responsible, Bob suddenly heard the Holy Spirit. “How often does your outward persona misrepresent your inner person?” It had a cooling, calming effect immediately. Besides this incident, Bob remembered that he had acted irritably with the youth at church this week. He had “lost his temper” when his wife didn’t pass that truck like he thought she should have. Several other such incidents flowed through his mind. It wasn’t just advertising media who misrepresented themselves.
Bob went into his prayer closet and bowed before the only one who sees who and what we really are. We might judge the book by its cover but God looks inside the book and knows its secrets.
Dear Father, thank you for your grace and mercy. Empower us with love and compassion. Deliver us from judgmental attitudes and actions. Help us remember that you look in the heart. This I pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN
Let us praise God for his grace and live to his glory,