I noticed someone smile the other day. I happened to know them personally, which made the smile all the more encouraging. I know more about his life than most, as it has been one of deep difficulty, sorrow, and grief. Not only is he facing the difficulty of a past event, but he is also experiencing the ongoing difficulty of family members actively making his life harder on purpose, shamelessly. If you knew his story, you’d know life hasn’t been all smiles and laughter. It’s been more like frowns and sadness for him for some time now. But to see the genuine smile on his face encouraged me. I was uplifted to see him so happy, if but for a moment.
Psalm 32:11 (NKJV) “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”
There is always something behind what we see in people; something that is deeper behind the exterior. Don’t forget this. Please.
Too often we make assumptions about others without really digging deeper to the essence of their lives. We are many times guilty of being impressed with the outward while neglecting the inward in a person. It’s common to keep things at such a surface and shallow level, mistaking that for true love and friendship. Samuel made a similar mistake when he was sent by God to anoint the next king. When faced with the oldest son of Jesse, Samuel was certain he was the one. What he saw was so impressive! But what Samuel was impressed with on the outside, God dismissed due to what He could see on the inside. Character is always more important than charisma. Integrity outlasts beauty. The truth always finishes first ahead of deception and make-believe. God, time and the truth will always rule the day. Let’s strive for genuine relationships, where we see and understand the person beyond their exterior.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV) “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Making assumptions about people without gaining the facts cuts both ways. Some make the mistake that behind the smile and “Bible” vocabulary is a godly person, a lover of God, upright in all their ways, while they are really corrupt on the inside, deceitful, and sinister in their sinful ways. Other times, the mistake is made in seeing an outward struggle or multiple failures, leading to the conclusion that the person has no love of God, no real walk with Him, when, in fact, the person is madly in love with God, growing in faith, while learning from their sinful missteps. While I’ve never met a Pharisee from the days of Jesus, I’ve met countless men and women with a Pharisaical attitude, clean on the outside but full of dead men’s bones.
Matthew 23:27–28 (NKJV) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
Compassionate ministry requires us to invest the time and attention it takes to get to know a person and walk alongside their lives as the glory of God is revealed. True friendship isn’t just settling for what we see but getting to know the person for who they are. Only then can you encourage the downtrodden and strongly warn the hypocrite closest to you.
Whether you see a yawn, frown, or a smile, don’t settle for what you see. Pray, engage, and go deeper. The Lord will bless that, but God never blesses shallowness and carelessness.
John 7:24 (NKJV) “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
