Easily Deceived by Outward Appearances

We’re a society obsessed by outward appearances. When planning to go to a special event, many people agonize over what to wear and how they’ll look. On home improvement shows, the first thing prospective buyers consider is “curb appeal.” And those ‘reality’ romance shows? Only for the beautiful or handsome. Our eyes are attracted to whatever shiny, glitzy thing comes along. 

But have you ever discovered how outward appearances can deceive? For instance, that person who catches everyone’s attention when he or she walks into a room, but if you get a chance to talk with them beyond a casual ‘hello,’ you discover they’re either filled with ego or have the IQ of a mushroom. Beware of flashy ‘diamonds’ that turn out to be synthetic.

 

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to get acquainted with people who could command a speaking platform with their wit and eloquence. However, sometimes what you see isn’t what you get if you have a chance to talk with them one-to-one. Stage presence doesn’t always translate into personal substance.

 

Other times I’ve met people who at first didn’t seem outwardly impressive, but they possessed inner qualities that drew me to them like a magnet. They serve as reminders not to judge people solely upon externals. As God told the prophet Samuel, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

 

Among the endearing realities of the Bible is its candor, revealing people as they truly were. Repeatedly we find examples of folks in the Bible whose outward appearance didn’t align with the kinds of people they were on the inside.

 

Recently, while using a one-year Bible that takes the reader through the Scriptures in a calendar year, with both Old and New Testament readings, I came across two examples of how we can be deceived by outward appearances. The first was King Saul.

 

Reading in 1 Samuel, we find the people of Israel had tired of being led by prophetic judges. "Give us a king to lead us…. We want a king over us,” they declared to the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 8:6,19). After all, the Israelites reasoned, other nations all had kings. Why shouldn’t they? So, God told Samuel to anoint a fellow named Saul, “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites – a head taller than any of the others” (1 Samuel 9:2). He seemed outstanding – in the most literal sense.

 

Saul had passed the ‘look test,’ and initially seemed to be a humble individual. When the time came to announce the first king of Israel, we’re told he had “hidden himself among the baggage” (1 Samuel 10:22). But soon the Israelites would learn the truth of the adage, “Be careful what you ask for.”

 

His reign was all downhill from there. He repeatedly ignored God’s commands given through Samuel, and when caught in his sinful disobedience, Saul was quick to cast aside fault, blaming instead the soldiers and people he was chosen to lead. He served as king of Israel for 42 years, but it was a tenure fraught with conflict, jealousy, terrible decision-making, and murder.

 

We find a very striking contrast to Saul in the gospel of John. It’s an unlikely woman Jesus Christ encountered at a well outside the Samaritan city of Sychar. Having been married five times and living with a man who was not her husband, this woman was the face of scandal. To avoid accusatory looks, she would go to the well in the midday heat, knowing no other women would be there.

 

Topping it off, Samaritans were universally despised by Jews. And yet, Jesus – a Jew – chose to honor this disreputable woman with a compassionate conversation that had a surprising outcome, recorded in John 4:4-42. 

 

As she approached the well, bearing the weight not only of her water jars but also her forlorn history, Jesus asked, “Will you give Me a drink?” Looking up at the person speaking to her, she probably thought the Samaritan equivalent of ‘Say what?!’ “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” she responded, perhaps thinking this individual had forgotten the day’s cultural norms.

 

Jesus countered with a statement that caught her attention: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” I suspect hearing about “living water” would have gotten our attention as well.

 

As their interaction unfolded, Jesus revealed He was not only a prophet but in fact the promised Messiah – to her utter amazement. Excitedly, she forgot all about getting water from the well and turned into an unwitting evangelist, rushing to tell the townspeople about the person she had just met: “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

 

The upshot of this story is that many people in Sychar became believers in Christ, some through the woman’s testimony and others after talking with Him directly, curious because of what she had said. 

 

Isn’t it interesting how an outwardly impressive man who became king could turn out to be such an adject failure, while a woman who’d lived such a sorrowful life could be used by God for such a life-changing impact on many people in her community?

 

What a powerful reminder not to limit ourselves to the first impressions people make on us. It’s also encouraging to know that even if we’ve never been the center of attention or voted most likely to succeed, the Lord can still accomplish great things through us.

Too Much Emphasis on Outward Appearances?

Have you ever considered how much time, energy – and money – we expend working on and worrying about outward appearances?  

The global beauty and personal care industry generated more than $640 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed more than $675 billion this year! That is a lot of makeup, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick, hair color, shampoo, conditioner and other products. For some, it’s just an effort to enhance natural attributes. But for others, it’s more like trying to make the proverbial silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

 

Digital photography and specialized software now make it possible to delete flaws and blemishes from photos. Don’t like those freckles or that beauty mark, scar or wrinkle? No problem. With a few clicks or swipes, we can make them disappear from the photographs. (But they’ll still be on your real person.)

 

We have red carpets where the famous and infamous parade wearing costly gowns and tuxedos; A-list folks trying to look better than their fellow celebrities. And even though their popularity has waned, beauty contests are still being staged, ranging from Little Miss Podunk to Miss America and Miss Universe. Even though we’re told, ‘Beauty is only skin deep.’ 

 

Each of these, along with many other pursuits, are strategically geared toward our fascination with outward appearances: Seeking to impress people with how we look externally.

 

But just as we can’t always judge a book by its cover, what we see of someone on the outside isn’t always what we’d find on the inside – if we ever get close enough to get better acquainted.

 

As a journalist, including serving as editor of newspapers and a magazine for more than 27 years, I interviewed hundreds of famous people, folks you’d immediately recognize by name. In many cases, even as a professional, I couldn’t wait to meet them and get to know what they were really like.

 

Some proved to be an absolute delight, the ‘what you see is what you get’ kind of individuals. Others, however, not so much. There were some who, from the introductory handshake, had an air of “How nice it is for you to meet me.” Ever encounter people like that?

 

Often the personas we see on TV, the movie screen, or standing behind a podium don’t line up with who someone really is. That can be disappointing, but the outward appearance in many cases is all we have to go on. Sometimes when we’re thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to get to know that person and spend time with him (or her)?’ it’s a good thing we can’t. Why pop our bubbles?

 

Interestingly, in the Scriptures the Lord repeatedly shows He has no illusions about outward appearances. Addressing the Pharisees and the religious leaders, Jesus repeatedly rebuked them for their outward hypocrisy. “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside also?’” (Luke 11:39-40).

 

Another time Jesus was speaking to crowds of people and His disciples, denouncing superficial religious practices. Among His statements was this observation: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:27-28).

 

Clearly Jesus was more concerned about the truth rather than trying to win friends and influence people.

 

Well, if God puts little stock in outward appearances, no matter how good we look, what is important to Him? We find the answer in the account of how He chose shepherd boy David to succeed King Saul, another sad example of someone who looked better on the outside than the inside.

 

The Lord had sent the prophet Samuel to the home of Jesse to find the one He had chosen to become king. After reviewing each of Jesse’s sons – or so it seemed – and having God say, “No, not him…. Not him…,” Samuel learned there was one more son: David, out in the fields tending the sheep. In those days, if shepherds didn’t rank at the bottom of the totem pole, they didn't have far to fall.

 

Nevertheless, Samuel instructed Jesse to send for his youngest son. Because God had told him, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

 

This isn’t the only time the Scriptures tell us the priority God places on the inner person. Proverbs 16:2 tells us, “All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.” Similarly, we see in Proverbs 21:2 that “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.” If only we could do this with politicians, right?

 

Society places special emphasis on women’s outward beauty, including annual selections of ‘the world’s most beautiful woman.’ But it’s clear the Lord uses very different criteria. In a passage about marriage, the apostle Peter wrote to wives, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and find clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:3-4).

 

This doesn’t mean He wants us to present ourselves to the outside world as slobs, that we should consciously neglect our outward appearance. But if our desire is to serve Christ and represent Him to folks we encounter each day, it’s our inner person – integrity, compassion, sincerity, and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) – that He wants to shine brightest.

‘Clothes Make the Man!’ Well, Yes and No

The adage tells us, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” That’s true. A poorly designed cover doesn’t necessarily mean the contents of the book aren’t worthwhile. Likewise, even the most captivating cover doesn’t guarantee the pages inside are worth turning. But in today’s visually oriented world, a book’s cover can be a major factor in a potential reader’s decision about whether to pick up the book and consider what’s inside. 

 

I remember when USA Today debuted in the early 1980s, with its emphasis on strong photos and colorful graphics. It set newspaper page designers scrambling. The only way newspapers could successfully compete with TV and computer imagery was to create pages that were visually compelling as well as content-rich.

 

What it boils down to is our human tendency to make snap judgments based on outward appearance. We do this with cars, houses, appliances, magazines, and just about anything else– especially people. 

It might not be fair – or accurate – to formulate initial conclusions about folks based on their external appearances, but we do it all the time. If someone were to walk up to us with ketchup stains or chocolate smeared on his or her outfit, we’d probably conclude this was not a fastidious dresser. Their clothes might taste good, but it wouldn’t appear they dress in good taste.

 

Remember the TV detective of years ago, “Columbo”? He used outward appearance misconceptions to his advantage. He’d show up in a rumbled trench coat, stumbling and muttering along like he couldn’t find his way out of a three-foot tunnel. Yet by the end of the show, he would have deftly solved the mystery to the amazement of all.

 

When I was entering the business world, I encountered the book, Dress for Success. Its simple thesis was that to make a favorable impression, we should take pains to wear appropriate attire. I was reminded of this recently when a friend, a clothier, wrote, “Be careful what you wear, because it tells the world what you think of yourself.”

 

This is hardly a new concept. In William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” Polonius tells his son Laertes to dress well because, “apparel oft proclaims the man.” In that day, clothing would reveal an individual’s rank and status in society. American writer and humorist Mark Twain had his own take on this observation. He said, “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” 

 

But long before Twain, or even Shakespeare, this annoying tendency to judge people based on the first impressions they make was well-established. When the prophet Samuel was directed to go to Jesse and identify from among his sons the successor to Israel’s King Saul, the prophet thought several of the young men fit the bill – based on their physical traits. But God saw things differently.

 

Speaking about one of the sons, He told Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

 

Since God hadn’t chosen any of the sons Jesse presented, the perplexed prophet asked, “Are these all the boys?” To which Jesse replied, “The youngest is still left, but behold, he is tending the sheep” (1 Samuel 16:11). This “youngest” was David, then a humble shepherd boy. He might have been voted “least likely to become a king” in Shepherd Today magazine. Nevertheless, Samuel insisted that Jesse send for David to join them.

 

When David arrived, Samuel saw that he was “glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features” (1 Samuel 16:12). Certainly not bad on the eyes, but this wasn’t what God wanted. Upon deciding Saul was unfit to serve as king over Israel, the Lord had declared He was seeking “a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).

 

Speaking to religious leaders in Pisidian Antioch, the apostle Paul confirmed this. “After removing Saul, [God] made David their king. He testified concerning him, ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’” (Acts 13:22). 

 

What does this say to us today? It’s not saying that the way we appear outwardly is insignificant. However, what the Lord is seeking most of all is men and women, boys and girls, whose hearts are aligned with His own, who desire to serve Him, obey His commands, and carry out His will.

 

In effect, this is a double-edged sword for us. We’re not to be quick to judge others based on what we observe outwardly. We should ask God to enable us to discern what’s happening on the inside – their heart and motivations. 

At the same time, as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20), we shouldn’t let our own outward appearances become stumbling blocks for others by causing negative first impressions. As people of “the Book,” we want to ensure that our “covers” don’t turn folks away from checking out what’s inside.  

Pitfalls of Comparing ‘Highlight Reels’

Have you ever looked at another family, comparing them with your own, and thought, ”Why can’t we be like them?” Perhaps there’s a couple you don’t know well, but observing them, they seem so perfect. “Why can’t my (husband/wife) and I be like them?” Or maybe you’ve been inspired by a guest speaker at your church or a Bible conference and you thought, “That person has it so together. What I wouldn’t give to be like (him/her).”

We’ve probably all done this at one time or another. I know I have. The problem is, what we’re doing is contrasting our lives with what I heard one person call the “highlight reels” of other people’s lives. 

You know what a highlight reel is, don’t you? It’s the “best plays of the day” that ESPN at the end of every sports day. It’s the video package a football or basketball prospect puts together to catch the eye of coaches – outstanding runs, catches or tackles, or three-pointers and slam dunks. Judging from those little video snippets, how can one help but be impressed? 

It's similar to that in real life. Except not on reels. We see folks up close and marvel at how ideal they seem. “There are no perfect people,” we reason, “but they sure look pretty darn close.”

Therein lies the problem – or pitfall. Sports highlight reels don’t include the fumbles, dropped passes or missed tackles, the bad shots or fouls. They show only the good plays. That’s usually the case when we’re in public. As my friend Jimmy Lee says, we put on our “Sunday smiles.”

How did I learn to distrust other people’s “highlight reels”? I had the opportunity to see people behind the scenes, when they let their guard down, when they thought no one was watching, or I caught a glimpse of how they acted when the spotlight was turned off.

Those families who seem to in sync, who appear to be oozing with love for each other without a trace of conflict? In real life – rather than reel life – they experience strife just like anyone else. They might present their best at church and other public settings, but they’re just as riddled by sibling rivalry as the rest of us. As the saying goes, they put their pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else.

I recall during my years in parachurch ministry that I would watch couples seemingly in lockstep, totally in one accord as they ministered to others together. Then I would learn that some of them were in counseling, that they were wrestling with demons from their past, or bickering just like any other married couple. Even “perfect people” have flaws.

And those individual who seemed so smart and friendly from the podium? The ones you think, “Wow! If only he were my pastor and I could hear him speak every week”? Or, “She’s so warm, so compassionate. Wouldn't it be something to have her as a friend – or even a mentor”? Over the years I learned that some of them are lightbulbs. They shine when they’re on stage, with all the attention riveted on them. But in private, when the switch is turned off, they’re really introverts. Not nearly as sparkly and engaging as when they’re speaking.

Truly, appearances can deceive. But this isn’t to condemn these folks. It’s just that they’re not super heroes. They’re just like us, people with real joys and real sorrows, facing the same types of struggles and challenges we all do.

Perhaps this is one reason God included “you shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17) among His Ten Commandments. It’s just not wishing we had a house or car like someone has; it can also mean coveting what other people appear to be. Especially because in many cases, that’s not who they really are anyway.

This also might be another application of the apostle Paul’s declaration in Philippians 2:11, “…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Yes, he was writing from prison, in less than ideal circumstances, and during his ministry had often suffered from near-deprivation. But he had also learned to find contentment wherever he was and whatever situation he found himself in. Thus he emphasized to his protégé, Timothy, that “godliness with contentment is great gain.”

When we learn to accept our spouses and families for who they are, rather than some false image of what we think someone else’s is, we grow one step closer to God. When we accept being what the Lord made us to be and to become, rather than wishing we were like another person, we also grow one step closer to Him.

So those “highlight reels” other people are showing us every day? Only their best feet forward? Ignore them. Those are no more genuine than the Wizard of Oz, or Obi Wan Kenobi. 

It’s All About Appearances

How do you look to other people? Do you even care? Most of us do care, unless we count ourselves among the infinitesimal number of folks who are so self-possessed that they care not one whit what others think of them. Chances are, you’re not one of those.

Want proof? For starters, how often do you look in a mirror over the course of a typical day? How much time do you spend wondering what to wear, whether it’s for a trip to the mall, going to work, preparing for an evening out, attending church, or even working out at the gym?

How we look on the inside
matters medically, and
spiritually as well.

Speaking of church, have you ever had a “spirited” disagreement with your spouse in the car on the way to worship, but upon arriving in the parking lot and exiting the car, you became all grins as friends and fellow worshipers greeted you? Instantly we plaster what a friend calls our “Sunday smiles” on our faces. Have to make sure we and the kids look like the got-it-all-together family!

This time of year, clothing stores display rack after rack of dresses and sweaters, blouses, ties and shoes for holiday parties, confident their customers need to look just right. Shops like Victoria’s Secret, which has perfected the art of making mountains out of molehills, certainly grasp the importance of appearances. Women’s makeup is a multi-billion dollar industry, and while most men eschew makeup, we still have many grooming options.

Slogans like “clothes make the man” and “dress for success” underscore the conviction that how we appear on the outside affects our pursuit of happiness. Before televised awards shows, discussion usually focuses on what some celebrity is wearing and how she (most of the time) or he looks.

But it’s not just about clothes, makeup and hairdos. A reality of political debates is we not only want to know what the candidates have to say, but also how they present themselves in public. During the opening 2012 Presidential debate, Barack Obama looked lethargic and disengaged compared to opponent Mitt Romney. In the next debate, however, Obama came out hyper-engaged and energetic. (There’s no report on whether this was due to a pep talk, or how many Red Bulls or 5-Hour Energy drinks he downed before that second outing.)

The news media piously proclaim it doesn’t matter what size or shape someone is, even shining the spotlight on plus-size models and actresses. But when do you remember seeing an obese news anchor or morning talk show host? Rarely, because…it’s all about appearances.

We have become fixated on how we look to others. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, maybe it shouldn’t be that way. It’s certainly not that way with God.

A classic example is when God sent the prophet Samuel to find a successor to King Saul, who himself once passed the “look test” but proved hopelessly inept for leading the nation of Israel. Samuel carefully examined each of Jesse’s sons and thought, “Surely this is the one…or that one.” But the Lord kept saying, “Nope, not that one. Him neither.”

In desperation the prophet turned to Jesse and asked, “Well, Pops, is this all of your sons?” To which Jesse replied, “Well, there is one more – the youngest one, David. But he spends his time with the sheep and, frankly, he’s kinda dirty and stinks. I doubt he’s the one you’re looking for.”

Samuel insisted, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives” (1 Samuel 16:11). Immediately upon David’s arrival, God told the prophet, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” Not that David was hard on the eyes – verse 12 says, “He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.” But apparently to the human eye he lacked the “kingly” look.

The key passage states, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). So it’s not the outward appearance, but rather what’s going on inside that matters from His perspective.

We can make ourselves look great externally, but the important question for God surrounds what’s going on within our hearts, our motives. As Proverbs 21:2 declares, “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.”

This isn’t to say we shouldn’t be concerned at all with how we appear externally. Hygiene is important. Makeup properly applied helps to accentuate a woman’s best features. For a job interview we want to dress properly to make a good impression on a prospective employer. But from God’s perspective, what we see isn’t necessarily what we get.

Jesus, never one to mince words, spoke this rebuke to religious leaders of His day: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27-28).

So what’s our response? How do we go about making sure our inward appearance is as good – or better – than our outward appearance? King David, in repenting of his own heinous sins, offered a prayer we might well consider ourselves: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

That might be the way to ensure we look good both inside and out.

Outward Appearances Can Be Deceiving

“Beauty is only skin deep – but ugliness goes clear to the bone!” This nonsensical saying dates back to my boyhood years, but underscores our human fixation with how we look on the outside.

Most of us really do have a thing about outward appearances. We draw conclusions about people based on the houses they live in, cars they drive, vacations they take, jobs they have, even the books they read and movies they see.

We watch the ”beautiful people” – stars from Hollywood and all realms of the entertainment world strolling red carpets, regaled in their finest attire (or in some cases, lack of attire). We gaze at their smiling faces and presume what nice people they must be. Experts on political campaigning tell us the candidates most likely to win are those that succeed at looking good on the TV screen, who can project themselves as personable, attractive, approachable, sincere, clever, and “just like us.” It’s call telegenics.

The problem with using outward
appearances to judge people is
we can't see their hearts.

Makes me wonder if Abraham Lincoln, gawky and ordinary-looking as he was, would ever have had a chance at the Presidency had he been running today.

But this concentration on how folks look on the outside isn’t limited to celebrities and politicians. When we meet someone new, most of us find ourselves – consciously or subconsciously – sizing them up based on their externals.

We assess them based on how they’re dressed and groomed, the way they smell, and their natural physical attributes: Pretty (or not). Strong (or weak). Successful (or not). Intelligent and/or educated (or not). Wealthy, middle class, or poor. Happy and friendly, or angry and aloof.

One national magazine recently reported in the near future cosmetic surgery will become, for most people, not a matter of “if,” but rather, “when” and “how much.” Largely, all in the name of “lookin’ good.” The reasoning is if people are going to gauge who we are according to our outward appearance, we might as well do whatever we can to enhance the effect.

Even though Jesus said, “Do not judge or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1), we do it anyway. We appraise people according to gender and age, for good or ill. For instance, if I’m leaving a restaurant and hold the door for a women going in, she may regard me as polite, maybe even gentlemanly – or she might think I’m condescending and sexist. Even though we’ve never met, the woman could make a snap judgment about me based on what she sees and her biases.

Have you ever observed an elderly person driving a car a bit slowly and concluded something like, “That person really should take a new driver’s test. Probably shouldn’t even be on the road”? Many of us have, and yet we know nothing about that person – except what we can observe outwardly.

I remember a time when I was in college – many years ago – being stopped by police officers, even though I had done nothing wrong. My “crime” was wearing my hair long enough to fit me into the category of “those hippie types.” Yes, I was “profiled,” long before anyone used the term.

Fixation with outward appearances, of course, is central to racism and other forms of prejudice. We make assumptions about people that look a certain way, and react accordingly, without knowing anything about who they truly are. Why bother getting to know people when you can fit them into handy, one-size-fits-all stereotypes, right?

Thankfully, God isn’t that way. In fact, the Bible says He’s just the opposite. In searching for someone to succeed King Saul to lead the nation of Israel, the prophet Samuel learned, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). On that basis, God chose an unassuming sheepherder – David – to become king. A young man who initially didn’t look the part, but as it turned out, was “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22).

Years later, David’s son, Solomon, who succeeded him as king, made a similar observation: “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart” (Proverbs 21:2).

Outwardly we may appear to have the purest motives. We might have even convinced ourselves that our intentions are the best for everyone involved. But God sees behind well-crafted façades and examines our hearts, sometimes revealing motivations not as noble or pure as we might want people to believe.

One time Jesus confronted the prideful, self-assured religious leaders of His day. He minced no words: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27). Not exactly the way to win friends and influence people, but Jesus was calling it as He saw it – viewing their sinful, self-righteous hearts.

Unfortunately, we can’t peer into someone’s heart as God can. But we can ask Him for wisdom as we interface with others. Then we can invest the time necessary to get acquainted with them, seeking to know their inner person before jumping to conclusions that might prove way off base.

Wouldn’t we want other people to do the same for us?

Pelicans – and Beauty Contests

We live in a culture obsessed with outward appearances. Magazines annually declare the “most beautiful woman” and “most gorgeous man.” Celebrities strut the red carpets prior to awards events, eager to display how incredible they can look, whether dressed conservatively and tastefully, garishly and outrageously, or somewhere in between.

Proud moms trot out their little darlings at mini-beauty pageants, teaching them early the strategies for leveraging a pleasing look to achieve recognition and success. And each spring, as another summer approaches, advertisements and commercials exhort women to utilize various products and services to achieve that “perfect bikini body.”

When I was an adolescent, one of my friends enjoyed repeating, “Beauty is only skin deep – but ugliness goes clear to the bone!” But that’s not true. Striking outward appearances can deceive, and an unattractive exterior may belie great quality within.

Up close and personal, this pelican
wasn't much to look at.

I was reminded of this during a recent beach vacation – and it didn’t involve a shapely young woman in a swimsuit. My reminder was a lone pelican bobbing in the water at a marina near a restaurant where we were eating.

This feathered fellow apparently was accustomed to being gawked at by strangers. In fact, he maneuvered toward us in case we wanted to get a better look. This creature with overly extended beak and beady eyes would never win an avian beauty contest. In fact, he would have made a humble sparrow look downright regal by comparison.

But later in the week I observed a flock of pelicans – the solitary bird I had seen earlier might have been among them. As they soared overhead in formation, fluidly riding the wind currents, or skimmed the waves just offshore, hovering just inches above the water’s surface, they looked majestic – and beautiful. They demonstrated aerodynamic synchronicity pilots in the Navy’s Blue Angels or the Air Force’s Thunderbirds would admire.

That same day I read a description of William Wilberforce, the British statesman in the late 1700s and early 1800s who campaigned for decades, relentless in his determination to abolish the slave trade in Great Britain. He was widely described as “an ugly little man with too long a nose.” Not the kind of guy who’d catch people’s eye at a social event, I suppose. Yet, as a white man, he merits special honor and appreciation in black history books.

The Bible makes clear our fascination with superficiality is contrary to God’s perspective. When the prophet Samuel was sent by the Lord to identify the successor to Saul as king of Israel, the prophet inspected Jesse’s sons and believed several passed “the eye test.” But each time Samuel asked, “Is it this one, Lord?” he received the answer,  “No, not him…. No, not him either.”

Finally the lowly shepherd boy, David, who hadn’t been voted most likely to succeed in his high school yearbook, was ushered onto the scene. This unlikely tender of sheep was God’s chosen one. Then Samuel was informed, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Elsewhere, David’s son Solomon, who succeeded him as king, affirmed that truth: “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart” (Proverbs 21:2). What’s going on inside is what matters to God.

These pelicans could soar with as much
precision as trained jet pilots.

So it’s interesting that the homely pelican, one of God’s bountiful array of curious creatures, was designed to display a marvelous grandeur in flight, especially in the company of other pelicans. And without possessing outward handsomeness by any measure, the inner winsomeness of William Wilberforce – largely the outworking of profound devotion to Jesus Christ – was manifested in his resolve to extricate a noble race of people from the horrendous, dehumanizing institution of slavery.

From God’s perspective, looks really aren’t everything! In fact, it seems He doesn’t place much stock in externals at all. Jesus made that clear when He addressed the religious leaders of the day: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27).

So next time you find yourself preening a bit too much in front of a mirror, or feel the temptation to pass judgment on someone based on their outward appearance, remember the pelican. Not much to look at, but wow, can he soar!

Tattoos…Outside and Inside

Did you hear about the fellow – a reformed skinhead – who underwent 25 surgeries over 16 months to have elaborate tattoos removed from his face, neck and hands?

Bryon Widner had undergone a change of heart and renounced his racist, white supremacist ideology, but the external trappings of his former life remained etched into his skin, in places he couldn’t possibly conceal. It cost an estimated $35,000 to have the “ink” – swastikas, the word “HATE,” and various other racist symbols and words – removed.

His story was presented as a documentary, “Erasing Hate,” on MSNBC. The expense was one thing; the pain he endured to remove evidence of his self-mutilation was even worse.

Not long ago, flipping through an old high school yearbook, I was reminded of what we once looked like. “What were we thinking?” I chuckled, marveling at the teased hairstyles and kooky clothes back then. At the time, it was “cool.” Decades later, we wouldn’t be caught dead looking that way.

Mr. Widner’s tale is cautionary for us all – and not just because (in my opinion) tattoos adorning someone’s body are like graffiti on the Washington Monument. Markings of what once seemed “cool” can mar us for a lifetime.

“Never do something you’ll regret in the morning, or next week, or next year.” Good advice, but in the moment, whether as impetuous youths or weak-thinking adults, we make dumb decisions. Then one day we regain sanity and wonder, “What was I thinking?”

In reality, we have all carried “tattoos” of one sort or another. Sometimes we have worn them on the inside rather than the outside, not as readily visible but there just the same: tattoos like anger, prejudice, pride, selfishness, self-righteousness, etc.

The fact is, unless we’ve maimed ourselves outwardly, we can conceal our flaws from the external world. But what matters most of all is what’s inside. That’s why God declares in 1 Samuel 16:7, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

You can paint a garbage can in bright, pretty colors, but on the inside it still contains garbage. Our challenge is not only to look presentable on the outside, but also be acceptable to the One that studies the heart. The good news is that we don’t have to do the work; God is willing to perform the renovation project – if we’re willing.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). The One who died for our sins will do the transformation: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).