One month after her surgery she entered into the familiar store front meeting room. All her old friends in the weight loss group were still there but they treated her differently.
She looked pale and weak, not the funny, fearless person they knew pre-surgery. They smiled politely and got involved in other conversations, leaving her out. What was going on?
The Holy Spirit told me they were afraid. They had been used to a person who had answers, wisdom, and strength. Here was the same person, but her outward appearance was so different. They didn’t know how to handle it so they didn’t talk to her. They avoided her for months.
At first I was mad at them for being so callous and disrespectful, but then I realized THEY were the ones to be pitied. They were missing out on so much. What they could have gained in wisdom, understanding and guidance, they gave up. After several months and as she got stronger, some of the old friends came back around, but the ones who didn’t, dropped out of the group and began to struggle even more with their weight problems.
They lost her friendship because of their own fears and refusal to look beyond the exterior appearance. We have to be bigger than that. We need to respect people and look beyond what WE think are their weaknesses and faults. God doesn’t see things like we do.
Our God looks at the heart of a man or woman. When He sent Samuel to find a king to replace Saul, even the great prophet was only looking at the exterior: “And it came to pass, when they were come, that he [Samuel] looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Sam 16:6-7).
God doesn’t look at race or nationality, at male or female, background, culture, sickness, weakness or health. God looks straight through to the heart and we need to practice this too. We all go through down times, weak times. We don’t want to abandon people when they’re going through something. Have a little patience. Isn’t that what you’d want?
Love, Carolyn
No comments:
Post a Comment