What do you see when you look in the mirror?
How do you think the world see you, how does it judge your value?
Do you agree with that?
Reading 1 Samuel 16 this morning where the Lord sent Samuel to Jesse, telling him that one of his sons would be the one who would be anointed Israel's next king.
All of these good looking and tall men were shown to Samuel, and Samuel himself was impressed by their stature,
"But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Sam 16:7 (NIV)
People judge by outward appearance.
Can there be anything more true of today?
That there is a need for Freedom Biker Church shows that the church itself has carried over the habit of judging by appearance. One of the reasons we exist is because many of us would not feel comfortable or accepted in a mainstream church solely based on appearance.
Ever watch a televised church service? Ever notice the people they show you in the audience?
Ever notice that in all the movies, Jesus is always portrayed as being physically attractive? It may be surprising to learn that Jesus was at best plain looking.
Isaiah describes him this way.
" He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him." - Isaiah 53:2 (NIV)
The world's emphasis will always be on what we look like.
Have you bought into that as well? Do you judge yourself by the world's standard?
When we buy into that, seeing our value in our appearance alone, we have bought into a lie.
Far better to focus on what is on the inside. Agreeing with the Holy Spirit as he transforms us into the image of Christ. Our heart is all that matters to the Lord, and he is transforming us on the inside to bear the image of His son.
"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Cor 3:18 (NIV)
