Beyond the Surface

Our inner being, the part of us that know one else can see. Often we can "pull the wool" over us and portray something to others that is really not true, hoping that others will not catch what is really going on inside. Well, I think Christians can be the guiltiest of all in pulling the wool due to the standard others expect from Christians or what others expect to see at our church. Oh, how easy it is to fool someone on the outside, but there is One we can never fool and that is God. I Samuel 16:7, "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." I think this verse is clear on what God looks at and is concerned about. We can look whatever way we want, dress the way we want, or act the way we want, but it all does not matter to God, God is looking at how our heart, our inward intentions--the stuff that men cannot see. I was reading a book one time and it said something very true and very profound, "It's not what you do that make you what you are, it is what you are that makes you what you do." Romans 7:22-23, "For in my inner being I delight in God's law; (23) but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." Paul the apostle is clearly going beyond the outer surface of his exterior body and going inward to what really matters--Paul delights in God inwardly, but a battle is always waging between his old carnal spirit and his new glorious spirit in Christ. We all face this as Christians, Yes, it would be great if our old born-in carnal spirit would just go away when we accept Jesus Christ, but we are still only human and our sin nature is still there, but we can delight in the fact that our Savior Jesus can help us tame and control our carnal spirit--Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."

Looking on outward appearances, usually, brings along criticism. Remember the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Well, we like to say we live by that, but so often, we do not. I have worked with the public for the past 12 years, which unfortunately has given me the bad habit of looking at outward appearances to measure ones persona. It is a hard habit to correct sometimes, but we all do it, it is just plan human nature--what more of a person can we see than their outward appearance. Though the old saying promotes that judging is wrong, The Bible makes is clear as well--Matthew 7:1-2, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. (2)For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." I have noticed that somewhere along the way churches are paying more attention to an outward appearance than the inward being. This, of course, is not true in all cases, but it is true too often. The church I grew up in was a very "traditional style" church--still is. The music did not go beyond the piano or organ and the dress standard was set very high--wearing "Sunday's best" was the code no matter what day it was. I am not kidding you, if a woman showed up to a service with pants on another woman in the church would tell her "Next time wear a dress" and if a guy wore jeans a thousand stares would tell him "don't do it again." A friend of mine who is proud of his long hair and his "Santa Claus" beard told me a story of when he was visiting a church, the pastor and him were talking and the pastor told him point blank that the Lord would one day convict him to cut his hair and his beard. It is sad, but it seems that in some churches broken customs are seen as sin. When we restrict ourselves to religious customs, we are no better than the Jews during the time of Christ. Christian, whether you dress up or not for church what is your inward intention--to serve man or to serve God. If we get caught up on what we wear because of rules by men, it can damage our service to God. In addition, we have to remember that when we become critical of others, we can lose sight of the real joy of the Lord in our life--Colossians 3:23-24, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, (24) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."