Shell
Judging
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 16:7
The woman on television was stunning,
quite beautiful actually. John immediately felt conviction for more
than just a casual appreciation of her beauty. He looked across the
room at his beautiful wife. Why did he feel like he’d just cheated
on her? There was no sexual attraction to the woman on TV, so why the
conviction?
Just then John heard God whisper, “How
do you feel about the woman standing behind her, John?” Until that
moment he hadn’t even noticed the other woman. Shifting his
attention, John’s initial assessment was that she was somewhat
overweight and not as well dressed as the object of his discomfort.
God’s revelation was profound, “She’s
as beautiful to me as your wife is to you, John. Her heart longs for
fulfillment and joy. She has hopes and aspirations, virtue and gifts,
just as the woman in the foreground. You are suffering from a human
condition, John; shell judging. Their shells are only physical,
temporal. One day soon they will be gone, and in their place
immortal, eternal spirits will be set free from the bondage of human
judgment.”
As sure as John was that God had
revealed a spiritual character defect, he was equally sure that it
wouldn’t be an easy one to change.
“Ask for My eyes and heart, John,”
God counseled. “You will never see people correctly unless you
ask.”
†
Physical beauty is measured by outward
appearance and is something the world holds in high esteem. True
value and lasting virtue comes from a much deeper place. A place only
God sees without our ‘looks’ slowing Him down. To Him we all look
the same, beautiful! Sadly, many of us can’t see past the outer
shell to a person’s soul, where true beauty and worth is revealed.
Psalm 139:14 says we are fearfully and
wonderfully made. It does not say anything about physical beauty.
Isaiah 53:2 says, speaking of Jesus,
“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him.”
I wonder; if Jesus were to show up in a
crowd of two, would we notice Him?
Prayer
“Give me Your eyes to
see and Your heart to discern, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
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