Craig Clouston

Worth a Second Glance

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at…the outward appearance…the LORD looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

Corey came into our lives much the way of the lost puppy. Our sixteen year old daughter, Lindsay, who’d never dated before he showed up, came home one afternoon from school and told us about the ‘new boy’ in her class. “He seems really nice, Mom, but he doesn’t talk much, and keeps to himself.”

“Be nice to him, Linds,” Nancy said. “He probably needs a friend.”

So Lindsay set out to be Corey’s friend, even inviting him to dinner. When she brought him to the house for the first time, Corey looked like a lost pup, weighing about a buck and a quarter; a skinny kid who’d seen more than his share of life. But beyond the baggy pants and lone wolf disguise there was something about Corey that made you take a second glance.

Corey and Lindsay have been married for twelve years now, and Nancy and I couldn’t have asked for a better mate for our daughter. Over the past fourteen years we’ve witnessed Corey’s commitment to God, our daughter, life, and now his daughter, grow into what God intended. In that time he has grown and matured both physically and spiritually. He is a godly man who works with youth, and seeks to do God’s will. That he adores our daughter and dotes on her is proof that she chose well. Watching him with our granddaughter only validates it more.

I guess Nancy and I saw what Lindsay saw that made us each take that second glance; a good heart awaiting maturity.

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Every parent wants their children to marry well. Fathers especially want their beautiful little girl to find someone who will not only treat her right, but will never give him reason to regret transferring responsibility and care to another man.

I can say I have never had a single regret. That is in part to allowing God to show me Corey’s heart instead of assuming the young man with an attitude wasn’t the right man for my daughter.

If we, as parents, want our children to chose wisely we must teach them how to look past all the outward appearance and discern, with the Holy Spirit's help, what is in someone else’s heart.

Prayer

“Help me see what You see, Lord. Help me listen for Your recommendation or disapproval instead of judging someone on my own. In Jesus’ Name, amen,”