Over the years I've discovered that most people have a good image. When they go to church, they dress up, smile, treat everyone politely, and give respect to their teachers and pastors. But what you see on the outside isn't always what is on the inside.

I don't mean to imply that people are good on the outside and bad on the inside, but rather that they mask and hide the hurts and problems of life. Just because someone smiles and greets you politely does not mean that they are not contemplating suicide or desertion.

The Bible says that while man looks at the outside appearance, God looks at the heart. God sees beyond the outward image. Ephesians 5:1 tells us that we are to imitate God. He wants us to be like Him. We must see beyond the outward appearance and minister to the heart.

In doing this, we must be led by the Spirit. Unless we are led by the Spirit, we can actually create more problems and do greater damage by trying to pry "the truth" out of someone.

Recently, I was at a ministers' conference and someone I hadn't seen for a few months approached me and asked me how I was doing. I said, "Everything is going very well." With a concerned look, they responded, "Yes, I know it is by faith, but how are things really going?" I again responded, "Things are going very well." They said, "But what about financially?" I responded, "Fine." They said, "Well how are you feeling physically? How is the family doing? Are you having any problems at the church?" After each question, my response was, "Fine." But they were wearing me down. They were determined to find a problem in my life. I almost made up a problem just to make them quit!

It made me realize something. Some people don't really care how things are going with you. They just want to find something that's not going right that they can agree with and compare to the tragedy in their life. I guess that's where the phrase "misery loves company" comes from.

While we should be concerned about others, some people are just nosy. Instead of prying into someone's life verbally, we must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say and the timing in which to speak them.

So the next time you meet someone, don't judge their life by what you see, but be sensitive to the Spirit of God and be prepared and "pre-prayered" to minister.

Scripture References

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged..." (Matthew 7:1-2)

"For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

"...Do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." (Matthew 10:19-20)

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16)

Devotion 0527