Matthew 4:18-21 (KJV) Says, "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him. And going from thence, He saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him." I Samuel 16:7 (KJV) Says, "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
The above passage of scripture taken from the book of Matthew plainly tells us that Peter, Andrew, James, and John were all fisherman. They make up four of the twelve original disciples. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Samuel makes it clear to us that God looks at the hearts of men while men look on their outward appearance.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus chose the men He chose to be the original disciples. One reason God chooses the people He chooses throughout the Bible to complete the tasks He does, is that in the eyes of man they are the least qualified for the job, and therefore people will be more likely to give God the credit for their accomplishments and recognize His existence. Had he looked at the four disciples I mentioned above, as men do on their outward appearance, He may not have chosen them. Had a human being been choosing the twelve they would have looked for men who were handsome, had careers ranking high in society, men with expensive modes of transportation, those with the best clothing, most expensive shoes, the best cologne, a great deal of money, and many other material possessions. Jesus, however, knowing that the greatest qualities in a human being are found within their heart chose fisherman among others.
When Jesus looked on the fisherman, He saw men willing to follow Him, and capable with Him working through them of accomplishing all He desired to accomplish. Had it been an ordinary man looking on the four fisherman he would more than likely have passed by them without consideration. If a man chose to look at them he would have seen them quite differently than Jesus did. A man would have seen fisherman that were not of high social standing, that were not necessarily the most handsome in the land, fishing from standard boats not yachts, without a great deal of money or material possessions, wearing clothes and shoes that were far from the best, and smelling like the fish and bait that they worked among.
Imagine the number of wonderful people who go unnoticed because they are judged on their outward appearance. Imagine the blessings those who judge them miss out on by not getting to know them. On the other hand, I would venture to say that most of us are acquainted with people who seem to have it all from good looks to money and material possessions yet they're lacking in the things that truly matter. They may be braggers, full of vanity, self-centered, and full of pride. These are character traits that frankly no one wants to be around. People who have a kind heart, are loving, forgiving, understanding, merciful, compassionate, and such are far more attractive to others, and in so many ways. This is true even though the things they possess are not visible when looking at their outward appearance.
How do you look at others? Do you look on their outward appearance or do you look at their heart? Do you give everyone a chance; or is there an outward appearance test they must first pass? What do you see when you look at others? How do you treat others? When people look at you, what do they see? Does the way you behave toward people reflect who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ? If it doesn't, I urge you to make some changes. I encourage you to look at others for who they are, and to change any negative behavior that doesn't fit who you are as a Christian. I encourage you to remember that judging individuals by their outward appearance is a sure way to miss out on great relationships with some of the best people in the world, and I urge you to remember as you interact with others; that as a born again believer you are a representative of Jesus Christ.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
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