Making an Appearance

Did you ever play kickball during recess in your elementary or middle school days (Jr. High back in my day)?  I remember Phillip Beck. He could kick the ball a mile!  I too was blessed with a decent amount of athletic skill, so it seemed I was one of two ‘captains’ to choose a team and many times Phillip was the other. I remember my confidence was so high, that my first choice or two was like a challenge to the other captain. To me it was meant as encouragement to others of inclusion. I would pick the person that anyone else would have passed over and picked last.  My team often won and so I saw it as a victory for the underdog. Everyone on my team was Making an Appearance!

Beauty is only skin deep – it’s just an appearance

Another view I have regarding appearance is that it is not just skin deep.  I’ve seen some strikingly beautiful people, both male and female…and then words would come out of their mouth. I know, someone just came to mind for you that fits this description.  At that point I saw their character and personality and they weren’t so striking anymore.  They were only making an appearance.

But then the opposite – I’ve seen people, from my point of view that seemed simple and plain to the eyes, but after getting to know them they were some of the most beautiful people, and even more so than those with striking outward appearances.

So God, surprisingly to Samuel and Jesse, overlooked Jesse’s oldest son Eliab – strikingly handsome and tall and strong.  As Samuel went on down the line of Jesse’s sons, Samuel said, “Is this it?  Do you have any other sons?”  Jesse, “Oh ya, I have one more out in the fields…he is a puny little runt though, but I’ll send for him.”  Okay, maybe I adlibbed there a bit.  But isn’t it like the kickball captains picking teams during recess?  Okay, maybe I am stretching it a bit, but if you’ve ever been in that scenario of ‘the last pick’ then do you know how encouraging this story is?

Is your life about the trophies, is it just about appearance?

On the other hand, outwardly you may have it all together.  You may have that ‘trophy’ spouse and you may have that ‘trophy’ house and that ‘trophy’ life.  You may even have ‘trophy’ kids and a million dollar ‘trophy’ business (almost feel like I need to say, “Sam I am,” here as a part of Dr. Suess)!  But if that is what your life is about, making an appearance, and you don’t have that inward character, then it might just be all about disguising what is on the inside. Don’t chase the Jones’s like I did for so long to replace what your heart is missing.

1 Samuel 16:6-11a niv

⁶ When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ⁹ Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹ So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”

Challenge of the day: Don’t be so concerned about your outward beauty and all that you have on display (house, cars, the way you dress your body, what you have or don’t have, etc.).  Now that God looks at your heart…he knows your heart, he sees your hurts and pains in spite of the outward appearances.  He passes others over because he sees your heart and character as more beautiful and more of a strength than anyone else could imagine.  You are God’s chosen – He picks you every time!  So be it!