First Baptist Church of Herndon

As You Really Are

Linda Soller | Mar 27, 2023

Have you ever stopped to wonder how people see you? Some people are so worried about their image that they don’t think about what their actions are saying.  Sometimes this approach has served them well. The good-looking man, who unfortunately can’t really act, scores the leading roles, and begins to believe his looks will always save him. The striking woman, dressed to the hilt, feels powerful and dominating over the average woman on the street. She practically struts!  There is nothing wrong with wanting to look your best.  It’s really not a problem until the image becomes their reality so that they feel superior and begin to act that way.

God often picks what most would say are “unlikely” leaders. He appreciates beauty, but He appreciates what He sees inside the person even more. When God sent Samuel to anoint the next king, He simply said He would let Samuel know which person to anoint. Samuel, much like most of us, felt certain Jesse’s oldest son, a big, handsome man was the natural choice. But he was wrong. Down the line of sons he went, younger and younger until he came to the end of the line. Wait, there was one more out in the field with the sheep. The last son came up to Samuel. He was young, not bad looking, but not the natural looking leader his oldest brother appeared to be.  You guessed it, this was the one God wanted to anoint. His name was David. He would not be perfect, no one is, but God knew him inside and out. Just as He knows each of us.

I have recently spent time with old friends, and former colleagues, and it’s been fascinating as we reminisce to hear what people think of the person I was. Often, it’s far from how I saw myself.  It’s made me ponder two questions. Would I have done anything differently if I had realized what people thought? And were they right?

All I know is that it’s important to me now that people see me for who I am, and I pray it’s the way God sees me. Are people seeing you as you are? As you really are?

Be the love in the world  : )   Linda