Look on the Heart

"[T]he Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." — 1 Samuel 16:7

Things are not always as they seem at first glance. And people are the same. People are so much more than what they appear to be. Even so, as humans, it seems we almost can’t help making judgments about others based on our perception of them. We look at how they do things and assume that we have them figured out. 

But there is so much that we're missing, because we fail to consider their inner being. We fail to consider the heart.

I know someone, someone rather odd, who, when presented with an opportunity to socialize, prefers to seclude himself from the crowd to play with keys, strings, and things. (Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean what it looks like it does. He's not that weird.) He makes other people feel awkward just by being around him because he doesn’t possess enough wit to sustain a simple conversation. Chances are, he probably wouldn’t even talk to you unless you approached him—he's just that antisocial. Occasionally, he does stuff that make him look like a fool to the people who know little more about him than his name, of which there are many.

People are so much more than what they appear to be. 

But if they actually knew him, they would know that he prefers to be alone because it’s safe. They would know that he remembers and regrets all the times he’s failed at simple social interaction almost to the point of self-loathing. They would know that he feels awkward almost all the time he’s around anyone in a social setting. They would know that he wishes, all the time, that he could rewrite many of the scenes he lived. 

They would discover that he is just as human as they are.

I wish people knew these things about me. I wish people didn’t judge me according to the awkward things I do or say. Many try, and I’m thankful for each and every one of them. 

God doesn't see me the way others do. He knows me better than I know myself. He always understands. That's what makes him such an amazing Friend.

We all yearn to be seen, known, and loved.

I’m afraid I'm not very like Him, though. Too often, I find myself judging people according to how they appear, failing to take into account that they are human beings just like me. We’re all alike, after all. We all have thoughts, feelings, and dreams. We all long for happiness. We all yearn to be seen, known, and loved.

We need to realize this and look at people from God's perspective. Every human being is beloved by God. He calls us to treat others the way we want to be treated, to love others as He has loved us. We are His children, and we are called to be like Him.

Try to see the inner struggles, fears, and loves in the people around you.

So as you go about your day, try to see the inner struggles, fears, and loves in the people around you. Try to believe the best about them. Imagine what it’d be like to be them for a day. Be kind in what you say and do. This world needs more kindness, more compassion, more empathy. 

More love. 

Maybe we won't always be able to look past the superficial exterior. Maybe we won't always be able to find it in our hearts to love those around us the way we'd want to be loved. But at the very least, we can try. 

If only we all learned how to see others the way God does. Wouldn't the world be a different place? 

Do you ever feel misunderstood? Do you ever find it hard to treat others with understanding? 

Anyhow, what do you think about my new divider? I ditched the last one because it looked too much like the logo. Plus, it ran right down the center of the page, which is exactly what the logo does. Just seemed a bit repetitive, I guess. But what do you think? Should I have kept the old one? :)