Inside Job

By Andrea Merrell

The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them.

People judge by outward appearance,

but the Lord looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 NLT 

There was something different about her. She looked exactly the same, but a change had taken place. Her smile. Her body language. The light in her eyes. Even the tone of her voice.

I wondered what had happened … what made the difference. Then the Lord whispered, “It was an inside job.” I couldn’t help but smile, thinking of all the times He had done an inside job on me.

Too many times we tend to judge people by their outward appearance. If not careful, we place them in a tidy little category without knowing their story. Without knowing what’s going on in the depths of their soul.

But thankfully, God bypasses the outer shell and focuses on the heart. He knows our every thought. He’s acquainted with our hopes, dreams, fears, weaknesses, and desires. He knows us far better than we know ourselves. When we surrender ourselves to Him—the clay pot yielding itself to the potter—He goes to work to mold and make us into the person He created us to be. 

But He does the work from the inside out. Only He knows the treasures He has placed inside each one of us—gifts, talents, abilities, creative ideas, and so much more. And only He knows how to bring out the best we have to offer.

The next time you see someone who appears to be different, remember that there just might be an inside job going on.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

TWEETABLE

God has placed treasures inside each one of us—gifts, talents, abilities, creative ideas, and so much more. And only He knows how to bring out the best we have to offer.

via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

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