Thursday, January 19, 2012

Looking beyond the obvious...

John 7 :34 "Stop judging by a person's outward appearance; and make a right judgment."

I had to call tech support for my DSL service last evening.  As soon as I heard the voice on the other end of the phone, my heart sank and my tension rose.  I had a difficult time understanding what he was saying and it was obvious to me that the service center had been outsourced.  After an hour and a half and still no resolution, I hung up and pondered what had transpired.  Then I read this verse in my morning devotions.  It reminded me of what God to Samuel in 1 Sam 16:7.  "....God doesn't look at man like man does.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."

How many time do we judge a person's intelligence or lack thereof by his or her ability to speak English well?  How do the people I encounter in Mexico each month regard my intelligence by the way I butcher the Spanish language?!  If I'm honest, I too often "judge the book by it's cover."  First impressions carry far too much weight.  Just look at geode.  At first glance it appears to be a rather ugly, ordinary rock.  But break it open and inside you discover a most beautiful, sparkling array of brilliantly colored crystals .

God is convicting me to dig below the surface, to take the time to get to know someone before I pass judgment.  I need the Holy Spirit's discernment.  I don't want to miss one of God's "geodes". :-)

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