Do You Judge Folks by What You See?

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”  (I Sam. 16:7).

Hey Gang:  He was wearing a tank-top-tee shirt, bib overalls, a bandana around his head, sandals and had a beard half-way down his chest when he showed up for his job interview.  By corporation standards he would not have qualified for janitor.  But he also had something else on that day that got my immediate attention - a smile that went from ear to ear.  I learned within minutes that he was a “people person” and would fit the bill to-a-‘T” for the position he was applying for.

In my tenure in working with children that have made some very bad decisions and brought them to my doorstep, I have learned not to depend on the written records to determine what was inside the head and heart of the child. 

Some with records as-long-as your arm were hurting deep inside from the frustration they were feeling because they had so much to offer and could not a find a positive way to demonstrate what was truly inside of them.  And then there were the others who had tremendous ability and potential who failed to get up in the morning, who thought the world owed them a living and they would collect it in any manner possible, no matter who it affected.

There is the story of the woman in the Bible who, for eighteen years, suffered under the burden of her infirmity. Probably curvature of the spine that had twisted her gnarled frame.  Bent over by the disease, she couldn’t see the smiles on the faces of the passersby.  She only heard their scorn.  Christ called her a “daughter of Abraham”.  We might call her a daughter of despair. 

Luke tells us, in Chapter 13:10-11, demonic power had dealt a crippling blow to her life.  Agents of the one who came to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’ had laughed with glee as they drew the gray curtain of depression over her countenance, BUT, they hadn’t counted on Jesus being at the Temple that day! 

“When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness” (v.12).  Jesus saw something in this woman that no one else had seen and touched her. 

So, as you walk through this day, tune your antenna to those around you who might not look so good on the outside and needs a touch from the Lord.  You may be the one who sets them free from the bondage that holds them captive to seek higher ground.

Blessings,

Gramps