Look on the Inside

Look on the inside

 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.  1 Peter 3: 3-4.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16: 7

It is in our nature to look at a person's appearance before we even know their name. As new creatures in Christ, He says to not to look at a person's outside, but the fruit in which they bare. Galatians gives us the fruit of the Spirit that we should all desire to have on this Christian journey. In fact we must have them in order to become the image of Jesus. 

We will not always be able to tell what a person is really like by how they look.  Nor will a person be able to tell what we are like on the inside. There may be those who are beautiful and well put together on the outside, but inwardly they may be very mean, selfish, bitter and hateful on the inside.  On the other hand, there are those, who by society's standards, that may not be beautiful on the outside, but on the inside they are loving, gentle, and kind.

Some of us spend a lot of time making sure our outward appearance is beautiful, but don't spend the time to make sure our inside represents a Christ-like image. And we know that what is inside will eventually come to the outside good or bad; kindness or bitterness, it will show up. Matthew 12:34 says that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."  It is the heart that determines if we are good or evil. If we can change our heart, then the outside [our actions, what we say and do, etc.] will follow. Goodness is not a result of our surroundings, material belongings or our social status or our bank account or title; it is a result of having a good heart. And that is what Jesus purchased at Calvary for us that we may be born again of the Spirit and be given a new heart, but it is up to us to let the work that Jesus did on the cross and the ministry of the Holy Spirit manifests itself in our hearts as new creatures in Christ.

So as children of the Most High God and joint-heir of our Savior and LORD Jesus Christ, I beseech each of us to take inventory of ourselves. And ask God to search us and know our heart; test us and know our anxious thoughts. Ask God to point out anything in us that offends Him and lead us along the path of everlasting life.(Psalm 139:23-24) And let us be led by the Spirit so that we may manifest love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. For against these is no law. If we indeed belong to Christ Jesus as we say with our mouth and have crucified the sinful nature [dying daily to our flesh] with its passions and desires and we live by the Spirit, then let us keep in line with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25). Being a witness for the Lord is not just proclaiming the Gospel; it is also showing the Gospel.

As Paul said in his letter to the Philippians (3:14), "I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." I also say to you my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling you (us).

In His Hand & His Service,

Mary J. Bryant

(written December 9, 2010)

Be Blessed