How God Views Us

The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

The dog was the ugliest thing I’d ever seen. Sometimes “ugly” is so ugly it’s actually cute. Not in this case. This dog had matted, thinning hair over most of his back. The rest of him was bald. He had milky-white eyes, giving away his blindness. His lower jaw had a large underbite, revealing three discolored teeth. His breath could have taken out enemy forces.

When I first saw him, all I could utter was “Oh my. Bless his heart.”

His owner chuckled at my shock as she picked up her dog and cuddled against him. “They were going to put him down at the shelter because nobody wanted to give him a chance. Everyone thought he wasn’t valuable because of the way he looks. But this dog saved my life when I was going through depression. He accepted and loved me unconditionally. To me, he’s priceless and beautiful.”

As I watched this owner lavish affection on her pet, I stood amazed by how God often hides special gifts in plain wrapping paper. Too often we view the outward appearance and judge a person’s—and our own!—abilities based on looks. God doesn’t necessarily choose the most beautiful and perfectly urbane, refined, chic people to have the greatest gifts.

What freedom! When I look in the mirror and see someone “less than,” I have the assurance that God sees the inner self and says, To Me, she has value and purpose. She’s priceless and beautiful.

Thank God that He uses us no matter how we look! He doesn’t expect us to be “prettied up” before He puts us to work in His Kingdom. We don’t have to lose those thirty pounds first, or get the nose job, or have the right hairstyle, or clean ourselves up on the inside. God bless that ugly dog for using the gifts His Creator placed within him—it’s a good dose of real beauty and humility.

Rest Assured

Father, sometimes I can get so caught up in falsely feeling “less than” in my appearance that I think You would never use me. Forgive me for believing that lie. Use me today—just as I am. Thank You.

Rest in Him: 1 Peter 3:3-4; 1 Samuel 16:1-13