How’s Your Vision

How do you see people?  How many times have you judged someone and been wrong or judged some situation only to find out that things were not what you thought they were?  

I had a couple come to my house one day to buy one or more bikes, with their kids.  They had a bunch of tattoos and had the appearance of what I would relate to as gang people, or druggies.  But after talking to them, neither case was true.  It’s kind of like getting a present and thinking you know what is inside by just looking at the wrapper.  Instead of Christians loving people, we judge them, and more times than not, we reject them.  

If you have been a believer for a while you probably know about King David and the years leading up to his kingship.  Remember how King Saul rebelled against the Lord on more than one occasion, and God rejected him as king and sent Samuel the prophet to anoint David as the next king of Israel.  But, if you remember, even Samuel was fooled, looking on the outside of the package.  

Samuel, after sanctifying David’s father and his other sons, invited them to a feast.  While there, Samuel judged Eliab, Jesse’s son to be the next king because of his appearance recorded in 1 Samuel 16:6-7, “When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”

The Bible goes on to say in 1 Samuel 16:8-13, “Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are these all the children?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.’ Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him; for this is he.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”

In this situation Samuel and Jesse, David’s father, judged wrong; Jesse thinking that it wouldn’t be possible that David would be considered the next king of Israel, after all he was just a shepherd, also just a young boy at that.  God is no respecter of men, you don’t know who He may decide to use in whatever capacity He chooses.  It says this in Proverbs 24:23, “These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.”

Let’s go to a well-known person in the Bible, called Paul, he had a real problem because of his reputation as a persecutor of the faith.  When he was converted, becoming a believer, on the road to Damascus, the disciples were afraid of him because they knew that he had persecuted the church so they didn’t trust him. When Ananias was sent by the Lord to pray for Saul, he also was afraid, misjudging the situation.  

This is what it says about this in Acts 9:8-15, “Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.  Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.’ But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.’ But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;’”

It is easy to judge people wrongly because of gossip, or whatever we may hear, even if it is true.  It is also easy to judge because of fear, but many times we are so wrong in the way we judge, so we have to be very careful.

It is good to have spiritual discernment, but when you get down to the crux of the matter, only God can discern the heart and what people’s real motives are.  Something to think about.  Have a super day and may God bless you and yours!!