God Does Not Judge By External Appearance: How To Do The Same

Many of those who are now my great friends have told me that when they met me, they didn’t really like me.

They say that over time, when they got to know me, they realized that I wasn’t like they thought at first.

It is common to be carried away by appearances when evaluating a person, however, it does not mean that this is good, healthy, or right.

In most cases, we can treat people who don’t deserve it unfairly by denying them our love and sympathy.

We can also treat others in a privileged way, just because of their appearance or our first impression, instead of treating them as we would treat others, only to then be disappointed.

I would like to share with you a bible story I was studying these days.

I think this story touches on this issue.

It is the story of the prophet Samuel, when God sent him to anoint a new king.

God sent him because Saul had not obeyed God’s voice.

God sent Samuel to the family of a man named Jesse, who lived in Bethlehem.

God had instructed the prophet that one of this man’s sons would be the next king of Israel.

Upon seeing him, God would tell Samuel that this was the one he should anoint.

Now, when Samuel arrives at the house, he asks to see Jesse’s sons, and sees the eldest son.

This was his reaction:

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:6- 7

Even Samuel, a prophet for several years, was susceptible to appearances.

It’s understandable that you and I can also struggle with that problem, but we can overcome it.

The solution is given by the Lord to the prophet when he says to him, “I look at the heart.

Dear reader, in order not to be carried away by appearances, we need to begin to see with the gaze of Jesus.

Some time ago I heard a song in Spanish called “how is the look of Jesus” by a singer named Santiago Benavides, I take the opportunity to share with you part of the lyrics.

What is Jesus’ gaze like? For the madman of the street with his jar of glue, imagine how Jesus looks at him.

What is Jesus’ gaze like? For the boy who was tender and became a punk, imagine how Jesus looks at him.

If He looks with the love with which a father looks at a son and looks seeing the story behind; if He looks with the forgiveness that cost His sacrifice imagine, imagine, imagine how Jesus looks at him.

And also for yourself in those cold days, for the one who is your enemy even if you have a thousand reasons, for that evil man who was a battered child imagine how Jesus looks at him.

In order not to be carried away by appearances, we need to begin to see people as God sees them, as Jesus saw them while he was on earth.

As priceless souls for whom Jesus shed his precious blood, with compassion, with mercy, with patience.

Trying to see beyond, trying to know their past, because before a “what” there is always a “why”.

When we see mistakes in others, let us remember that Jesus looked at souls and saw them with compassion, “like sheep in need of shepherds.”

Let’s see how God looks at people, seeing the potential, the good there is in them, how wonderful they can become.

Instead of concentrating on what we think they can be today.

Our prejudices speak more of ourselves and our character than anything negative we imagine of others.

I hope these words have been a blessing to your life.


And what do you think? Have you ever been carried away by appearances? Share it in the comments.

A hug, God bless you.

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