“Don’t depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful. Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.” (I Peter 3:3-4 Contemporary English Version)
I have two lessons for you this morning. The first is simply the admonition above. It speaks for itself. Indeed, take heed to what you read. The second was inspired by an experience I had, just a few of days ago.
Here is the second lesson. Thursday morning, I went to the store before the rising of the sun. I had to pick up some groceries early because my wife was taking the car to go to her workplace that morning. How early did I go to the store? Well, I left home at around 6:30 a.m. and got back home about 7:15 a.m. It was a quick shop and the aisle, as you would expect, were quite clear and the noise level quiet. In regard to “quick, let the record show that returned home, put up the groceries, and sat down with a cup of coffee in my study shortly before 7:30 a.m. (Somebody should check with Gunnesses Book of Records.)
Speaking of coffee, before I left home, I had only had a half cup of coffee from my infamous turquoise cup that says, “No Coffee, No Talkee.” No worries. With the store almost empty, my witness was not in jeopardy. Now, I usually have two full cups every day. The best thing about waking up, to me, is being able to see a new day. Yet I might have to concede that the coffee commercial’s jingle comes in second place, “The best thing about waking up is coffee (brand name omitted purposely) in your cup.” My wife knows I am more amiable when I have my two cups, and intentionally looking out, perhaps, for how I would interact with individuals at the store or how well I would represent the fact that I am of the household of faith, she prepared a hot cup of coffee in a Starbucks cup. The coffee was sizzling hot, just like I had picked it up at the drive-thru with all the other folks who did not mind paying the price of a small pack of chicken legs for their morning brew. As a matter of fact, as I drank from this reusable Starbucks cup, it seemed like the coffee tasted better than the cup I had at home. Now I know that Jesus turned water into wine, but did my wife turn home brew into the named brand brew. I’m not sure, but It seemed like the coffee was just as flavorful and delightful as a freshly brewed purchased cup. Here’s the thing. I was fooled by the outside presentation, the franchise coffee cup, adorned with logo and capped with a well-fitted lid that had a small opening for sipping. But guess what? Yes, it was really the same coffee as the half cup that I had drank earlier out of my favorite cup.
Before you say, “So,” let me assure you that there is a meaningful lesson in what may seem like a meaningless account. For you see, many times in life we are fooled by the outside presentation as it relates to products in well-designed packages, knockoffs that look like the authentic brands, and even fooled by people who are dressed to impress. The outside looks good, but sometimes, the inside does not match what we thought. Listen! Men look at how women look on the outside and women look at what they can see on the outside. Well, let me amend that so I can stay out of trouble. That is “some men,” and “some women.” Whew! Let me continue now. We buy cars because they look good, never checking the technical reports on how they perform or whether, in the case of old cars/used cars, they are all shined up to hide the fact that the vehicles have secretly been banged up and skillfully covered up so the eye cannot detect it is a “lemon”. We buy houses based on what we see in haste, “as is,” not taking the time, too impatient to look and see if we are unwisely purchasing a house that is in a flood zone or a residence that is riddled with unseen problems. Let me continue. We say “I do” when we should have said “I don’t” because we fail to see “the catch” only has a temporary interest in church as opposed to a permanent interest where commitment to God is for real. In that case, there is no real equally yoked relationship, and real issues are soon revealed and what could have been avoided soon comes to the surface. One more, okay? We fall for non-biblical teaching and preaching because of the outside presentation, at least that is the case for some people.
Enough said! Let me get to a close so you can get to church! It’s true that in many areas of our life, we can learn the lesson that I learned with my coffee cup Thursday morning, “Don’t be fooled by the outside presentation.” If you need more affirmation, look at how the Lord did not make his decision in choosing David to be anointed by Samuel based on David’s outside appearance. See the verse below. Have a great worship experience today! Be blessed!
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7 English Standard Version)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King