colours of life
‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ goes an English iIdiom – but let’s face it, these things are easier said than done. For instance, I never would have thought I judged people based on their appearance, I would have creditinged myself with a bit more depth. But, as I searched for personal staff, I found I was more favourably disposed to those I considered ‘good looking’.
The elderly cook for instance, fitted the bill. He had this handsome, pleasant appearance which facilitated his getting hired. It turned out he was not a sticklera stickler for time. This was pretty frustrating in a home that functions like clockwork and where meal time is important. Alsogain, his hygiene was substandard. Then, it was time to choose a nanny. I would not have given the young woman before me a chance because she had a dull countenance. There was something rural about her that put me off. But I was desperate enough to interview her, and my impression changed. She was fairly well spoken and reasonably educated. She got the job. Now, I needed a driver. Several had been referred to me. When a particular one came to the door I said to myself, ‘This is it’. In his mid fifties, he was clean-shaven, neat and respectful. From what I saw and what I read in his resume, I decided to employ him even if his asking price was beyond our budget. When he took to the steering wheel I realized he was not a careful driver at all. I did most of the driving that day, hoping he would take a cue and drive carefully but this was not to be. Two days later, I ended up with a not-so-goodlooking but diligent nanny, a good looking but less than efficient cook and no driver. I had initially reached a conclusion on each of them based on what I saw.
Samuel was about to make the same mistake when God sent him to Bethlehem to anoint the replacement for King Saul. “Surely the Lord’s anointed,” Samuel exclaimed when he saw Eliab, Jesse’s first son. But, even after Jesse’s seven sons had been paraded before the prophet, Samuel did not get a green light from God. Then they sent to fetch David from where he was tending sheep and when he came God said to Samuel “…this is the one!” David was an unlikely choice; he was last born, he was young, he was just a shepherd boy. In short, he did not fit the bill. But God let Samuel in on a secret…
“…The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:612.)
God has eyes that see into the heart of issues. Man, on the other hand, has eyesight that is only skin deep.
I wonder if, like me, there are mistakes you could have avoided if you had more insight in a particular situation. You may have said to yourself; ‘I should never have attended that meeting’, ‘that trip was unnecessary’, ‘I should have trusted my parents’ judgement and not gone into that marriage’. ‘Why did I not follow my instincts that day?’
At every stage in life, we would be faced with an array of choices. Some, like the choice of a spouse, have lifetime consequences. Some, like a career path or a business partnership, have far reaching implications. Then there are decisions such as what to do or where to go on a particular day, which may seem more casual but may be equally important.
Come to think of it, I did not take time to pray about who to hire so I became a victim of my carnal judgment. This little experience taught me a big lesson. Now I try to pray about the complex decisions as well as the simple ones so that God will give me the privilege of seeing into the heart of a matter and therefore acting appropriately. It has reduced my margin of error.