Do not be taken in by looks only

There was a time I used to admire a colleague who seemed to have it all. Those were the days when cars were very expensive and most of us were using passenger transport but  she was driving a Mercedes Benz and dressing expensively too.

Her children attended high-end schools and she could not stop talking about her sweet husband. We knew when roses were delivered because we saw them. Oh, we admired her so much that we missed or took lightly the heavy make-up, a scratch here, a mark there and the dark sunglasses she always had on.

I met her in Nairobi the other day. She is now divorced. Apparently, she had the most abusive and promiscuous man who had her visiting the doctor every now and then.

Unfortunately, many of us go with outward appearances. The way you are dressed and look will determine the depth of my handshake. Many miss their blessings because they value what is on the outside.

Consider the following from the word of God:

• God values what is in us and not what is outside. David was God’s chosen because He had considered his heart. No one thought David would be anointed due to his age. And David did not disappoint because to date he is known as the man who went after God’s own heart.

• You will know them by their fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit and neither can a bad tree produce good fruit.

I once listened to a sad story narrated by the very person I considered horrific! And he was bragging!

This man had admired a woman he knew was a staunch Christian so he pretended to be a staunch Christian too.

For seven years! Sadly they got married and he simply went back to his old self.

• Consider not your maid-servant as a worthless woman. These words were uttered by Hannah who was barren and is at the temple to pray. Eli the Lord’s servant in the temple judges her by outward appearance when he thinks she is drunk.

However, Hannah conceive Samuel whose lineage led to the birth of Jesus Christ.

• Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like white-washed tombs which appear beautiful, but are full of bones. Enough has been said about men of the cloth who mislead their sheep. Today, we have many smooth-talking and sharply dressed scribes and Pharisees in our midst.

So do not be fooled by magnificent buildings and fast talking religious leaders.

Better worship in a hut if you will get genuine spiritual nourishment.

• Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. I wonder how many of us would open our doors to a street child.

Slamming the door in his face is the most “natural” thing we will do. To protect our angels, we shut these miserable-looking creatures out.

However, God’s word is clear that at times, our blessing is pegged on what we do with the street child to reflect God’s love for all, regardless.