My husband’s friend, Mario, brings a large box of fresh oranges from his farm in Texas to our family on a regular basis. These oranges are like nothing I’ve ever tasted from the grocery store. They are sweet, juicy, fresh, and delicious.
However, by the outer appearance of this citrus that our family refers to as a “Mario Orange,” you wouldn’t think it would taste good. On the contrary, one might think it was squishy, sour, old, and moldy.
Obviously, we can’t judge a “Mario Orange” from its outer appearance. With its bee stings, mottled appearance, and pale color, it isn’t what it seems.
People are much the same way. Some of the nicest, kindest, most gracious people I’ve ever met would not be considered the most attractive. On the other hand, some of the most mean-spirited, rudest, and malicious people I’ve ever met have been the most physically attractive.
There are many beautiful people who are also kind and many “homely” people who are inconsiderate. However, an important thing to remember is this:
Not everything is as it seems.
That’s why it’s important not to judge someone based on their outer appearance. Instead, we should look to important virtues, such as:
- God-fearing
- honest
- kind
- loyal
- trustworthy
- faithful
- generous
- selfless
And the list goes on.
Proverbs 31:30 tells us that Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
What if we saw people through God’s eyes? What if we saw people as being made in His image?
Our worth does not come from appearance. Our true value does not come from how others perceive us.
If we realized this, we could see things as they really are.
Penny Zeller 