Looks can be Decieving

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”- Psalm 119:18

I remember once being in church when I was pregnant with my second son. I had gone to the alter with my mother and as we were walking back this woman came and told me she had a word for me. I remember being taken aback when she said that but I stood there and let her tell me what she had to say. She made reference to me being a single pregnant woman. At the time, I was married, I had another little boy at home. I hadn't gone to the alter for prayer for myself, but for my mother who was struggling in an area in her life. How often we can get it wrong when we look upon the natural.

My friend came by a few weeks ago. She looked good, hair up, makeup on, cute outfit. I complemented her on her appearance. Then she began to show me all the flaws about her sweater that looked good from a distance but needed a needle and had some stains. I wouldn't have noticed the imperfections just looking myself. In my eyes she appeared to have it going on.

In this plight to have a heart like Jesus, I have begun to ask for the Lord to open my eyes. So that I don't take things for granted. So that I can see the heart of the person that I am talking to instead of what my first impression of them may be. It seems for myself, the more I appear to have it together the less I really do. What if others are doing the same thing?

I lived behind a mask for the first 27 years of my life. I pretended that everything was okay, I was hurting on the inside, but on the outside I gave the appearance of being the perfect little wife and mother. I was double minded. One part of me wanted to have the mind of Christ, but the other part of my had the mind of JenniLee and she wasn't doing so well. I fell into some awful sin patterns. I ran from God. I held onto every string trying to keep my facade together until one day the monster got so big that I couldn't restrain it anymore. My house of cards came crumbing down and in the wake of it I almost lost everything. But until it all fell no one had a clue what was going on with me. I hid it all very well. Well that is from everyone except God.

1 Samuel 16:7 "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 man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

As I had convinced everyone for a time that I was okay, God was looking upon my heart and he knew, he knew the truth, he knew the extent of my self preservation and at the time my lack of love for Him. He also knew that one day that I would be revealed and in that lesson that I would learn to be naked and vulnerable.

So as you are out and about today, smile at someone you wouldn't normally smile at. Wrap your arms around someone who is trying to hold it all together. Remind them that God loves them. You don't have to share an opinion, as my mentor used to say, "They don't care what you have to say, they care about what the Word has to say". Love them like Jesus would love them, dirty faces, stinky, but hurting. He always had time to minister to those with needs. Its a good thing, because we all have them. Don't assume that someone is falling apart, don't assume that someone has it all together. Share the love of Christ. Be obedient to his prodding.

My friend and her kids were at KFC this week having lunch. Out of the corner of her eye she saw this man bow his head to bless his food. As she sat there the Lord dropped a word for him into her heart. She played with it for a few minutes but then approached the man. She didn't attempt to make any judgments on this man, she didn't assume what the situation was. She walked up and ministered the love of God for this man. She had a word of affirmation for him. Not of judgment. I don't want you to think that God doesn't give people words, he does, absolutely he does, but be careful what you do with it.

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding".

Lord, today I pray that you open the eyes of my heart, to see your people, your children Lord. I pray that you would show me needs and not just flesh. That Lord as we move into this new area that you would use me to hear their hearts and not see their facades. Lord, thank you for taking off my mask. It was my security for years but now as I walk closer to you I find you to be my security. That in your love I am alright and that my soul is at rest. Lord, thank you for your protection and your unfailing love even as I was walking down the wrong path. Thank you for planting my feet upon a rock and for your sacrifice of your Son to wash away my sins. In your Glorious Son Christ Jesus name I pray. Amen.