It was a simple dress up day for a work Halloween party held on October 31st. As a Christian in past years I did not do much for Halloween.  This year I decided to have some fun with it by dressing up as the lead guitarist from a famous Los Angeles hard rock band.  And it became almost like a social psychology experiment to see peoples reactions when I look far, far different from my normal appearance.

That is me Carl, but looking much different.

A lot of my colleagues that I work with and rub shoulders with each day did not even recognise me. It is amazing what a wig, aviator glasses and a guitar will do. I got the wig from a friend for “Cancer Is A Drag“, which was another work event.  Did not use it, but gave me an idea for the Halloween party. The biggest thing was that feeling that people looked at me differently because of my new outward appearance.  Yes I was still Carl, on the inside.

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When I was young my dad and mom taught me to “never judge a book by it’s cover”.  This refers to the value of a book is found on the inside.  My dad went one step further and lived by example.  He hired Special Needs people to work on the farm.  This was 45 years ago and was completely unheard of back then. This was an era when special needs people were sent to live in institutions.  He saw worth in every human being.

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In a couple of weeks from now my dad will have been dead for 44 years.  He died of a massive heart attack at 47.  I was 15 at the time.  My dad did leave me with an incredible legacy.  My dad left me an example of what God is like.  He showed me that a person’s value is on the inside and not on the externals’.  There is a verse in the Bible that says “For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7.

Fascinated how a person might draw a conclusion from the right picture or left picture. Yet this is the very same person in both pictures. None of the externals matters to God. He looks at the heart. Image Source

God looks beyond nationalities, skin colours, cultures and genders. He sees beyond tattoos. piercings and hair styles. And when we look at those glossy magazines and the standards they set, it means nothing to God.  It is all external. Short, tall, fat, skinny, geeky, preppy, nerds, jocks are all ways we look at other humans.  We draw conclusions from what we see.  It is called prejudice coming from the words “pre judge”.  God does not prejudge on externals. He looks at the heart.

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Like a book, every person has a story.  We don’t know what a book is like until we read it.  And we really don’t know a person until we get to know them. Until we take the time to walk in their shoes. When God came to earth as a human named Jesus, he spent time with people who were despised in the day.  Like the tax collectors and prostitutes.  He looked beyond the externals and looked at the heart. Jesus saw that they had great worth, and their lives became radically changed.

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♥♥♥Today I am so grateful that God knows my heart. Others may misjudge my intentions, judge my words and deeds, find fault, or blame what they truly do not understand. But God knows my heart. He knows I am learning, I am trying, I am a work in progress. I am becoming all He created me to be.♥♥♥