John 7:14-36 | What's the lesson for me today?

We have all heard the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." What is the saying trying to get us to do? It is wanting us to look beneath the surface. We may see an individual who is upset and just write them off as an angry person. We may see someone who looks paranoid and think that they must've done something bad and need to hide something. We can assume all kinds of motives just by looking at the surface. The danger is that we are operating primarily off of surface level issues rather than getting into the depth of a matter.

Growing up, judging a book by its cover was almost an essential survival skill for me. I grew up going to school in a pretty dangerous area. I had to be able to watch out for any who may potentially do me harm and avoid them. Unfortunately, it built a skill in me that I grew to trust too much. While in many ways it kept me from danger, it also led me to pass judgment on people quickly.

As something that was so developmental, it threatens me to this day to be quick to bring judgment on surface issues. The Lord has had to actively train me to keep from that. While it may be easy to slip quickly into judgment, passages like this are healthy reminders for me to really get into the heart of a matter. Even more importantly, I've had to humble myself and allow for my opinions on people to change.

What I take heart in is the fact that the Lord does not just see the surface. He looks to the heart. He can lead us in doing the same as well. So let us not just pass judgment on appearances. Let us get to the heart.

What lesson are you taking for yourself today?