APPEARANCES

“The Lord does not look at the thing man looks at.Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” - 1 Samuel 12:16

I was traveling down Harrisburg Pike, returning home after an appointment at the eye doctor’s office. A sporty little grey compact was head of me, moving very slowly—at least ten miles under the speed limit. I was a little bit impatient, but I knew I dare not be too impatient. It was right through the part of Landisville that tends to be heavily patrolled. Any act of vehicular discourtesy would probably earn me a ticket. Yet the car, which also left stop lights at the acceleration level of the tortoises on the Verizon commercials, seemed oblivious to its pace and the consternation of the drivers following it (by now I am being followed by several others.) As I got nearer the car I saw it was being driven by a little old lady who seemed barely able to see over the steering wheel. In fact, I believe she was staring through the steering wheel to see the road ahead.

Then I saw her license plates “ FOXY GRMA”. I confess, my sinful nature thought, “Boy is that wishful thinking!” The Holy Spirit immediately rebuked my rudeness. The best I can say is neither the car nor the stature nor the speed of driving made me think of foxy anything. But then I don’t know the attitude, personality, or the spirit of that driver at all. Appearances are a poor tool for making serious judgments.

Samuel was sent to anoint David as king of Israel. Essentially still a boy. Not kingly in his appearance or stature like his older brothers like Eliab. Not a seasoned military man. Just a ruddy-faced shepherd boy at the bottom of the family tree. But God knew David’s heart. It was a heart like His, and that was going to be David’s qualifications to be king.

A baby born in a manger would later become a nondescript looking carpenter from Nazareth. Isaiah 53 predicted that nothing in his appearance would commend much more than pity. Yet He was rhe Lamb of God Who would take away the sins of the world. Beware of judging by outward measures.

© 2009 by Stephen Dunn