. . . for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
it's what's on the inside Published week of november 8, 2020
I was taught this verse as a very small child and rightly so, but this is also an important truth for every man and woman. May I ask, “Are you glad that God looks at what’s inside of us instead of what is on the outside?” Maybe . . . or, maybe not. Think about it, it is far easier to manage our outward appearance, how we present ourselves to others, than what is on the inside. Why do I make this statement? Well, simply put, on the inside we’ll find all of our wrong thoughts, sinful desires, and impure motives. We’ll find all of the rotten things we’re capable of, even if they never manifest on the outside.
Our culture is so caught up with what is on the outside, that is how we look, how we talk, what we do, where we live and work, and how we interact with others. We have labels for all of the failures of our insides—racist, bigot, sexist, homophobe. Yes, some of these labels are accurate and deserved because there are racists and bigots in our culture. Oftentimes, we tend to try to fix this problem by helping people say the right thing or do the right thing on the outside. However, the reality is that the core issue is on the inside, where one must be the right thing, first and foremost.
God sees and knows our hearts . . . that which is underneath all of those outside behaviors. God is in the deep places where no one else can see unless we permit others into those areas. In fact, God sees us more clearly than we even see ourselves. Maybe it’s time to do a little house cleaning, to look inside and ask ourselves how God may see us in the light of His Word. Are we pursuing His will in ways, down deep, where it counts? Are we sprucing up our outside appearance to mask something on the inside that just isn’t completely right?
Almighty God, when it comes to who I am inside, help me to be honest with myself and then to totally obey you in every area of my life, so that I reflect You in my attitudes, thoughts, actions, and words. Reveal to me the things in my heart that aren’t compatible with who You are. May I be the person You created me to be, from the inside out. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
