Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 16:7
We people spend a lot of time and energy fussing over our appearance. We try to lose weight – or gain it. We want to get rid of extra hair – or grow some more. We
change our hair color, tan our skin, buy contact lenses to change the color of our eyes…the list goes on! We seem to never be content with the way we look and we are constantly trying to improve ourselves.
Thankfully, God is dramatically less concerned with our physical looks. He created us to look just like we look. He loves us that way, even if we think we look less than perfect. That’s what He told Samuel when He sent Samuel to find the next king for Israel. Here are God’s own words, which are found in 1 Samuel 16:7 – “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.”
God’s real concern is what we look like on the inside. He wants us to spend just as much energy (and maybe even more) fixing up our inner looks by deepening our understanding of God, practicing the fruit of the Spirit – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”, and exercising contentment. When we do, our “insides” will look beautiful to God – and other people will notice our “inner beauty”, too.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel 36:26 & 27
Prayer: Heavenly Father, make over my insides and make me look beautiful from the inside out. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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