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Jul 04, 2024 18:00pm

What Now?: Appearance

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The following comes from the devotional book “What Now?” by Ashley Akers. To learn more, go to www.whatnowdevo.com.

Appearance

Let me ask you a serious question. Have you ever avoided speaking to someone because of their appearance? The answer can be applied in two ways. You may have avoided them because they weren’t dressed very well or because they were dressed too nice. Or instead of clothes, your reluctance may have been based on their beauty (or lack thereof). Either way, your actions could have been based on how the person looked.

James 2:2-4 (NLT) tells us not to judge people based upon appearance and when we do it reveals our true heart. “Suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, ‘You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor’ – well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgements are guided by evil motives?”

You know the golden rule, “treat others how you wish to be treated.” Easier said than done. Consider this: What do you think Jesus looked like? Tall, dark, and handsome? Bright blue eyes with long flowing hair? Maybe He even looked like a man straight out of a magazine? When you try to picture what Jesus looked like, you probably think of Him as attractive and that everybody loved Him for His beauty. Not so. While it’s true a lot of people flocked to Jesus, it wasn’t because of His looks. In fact, He wasn’t even considered attractive at all.

Isaiah 53:2-4 (NLT) describes Him. “He [Jesus] had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him…”

Jesus wasn’t particularly attractive but was still obviously used by God. So maybe you shouldn’t be overly concerned about what you or others look like on the outside? You can become so fixated on the outward appearance that you miss the true beauty within.

Jesus did not want people to follow Him based on His outward appearance, but by His true inward character. Let the light of Jesus shining through you be your beauty, and do not be overly concerned with your outward appearance.

Reflection Questions

How often do you focus on the outward appearance of a person? Be honest with yourself.
Use your Bible or Bible app to read 1 Peter 3:1-6. What do these verses mean?
Before reading this devotional how did you mentally picture what Jesus looked like? How is that different now?