Question 1

How much does appearance matter?

Accepted Answer

1 Samuel 16:7“People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”Proverbs 31:30Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.Romans 8:10Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.Ephesians 5:9This light within you produces only what is good and right and true.James 1:23If you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.1 Peter 3:3-4Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.Appearance matters, but we must be sure that we are focusing on the right things. The body, face, and clothes reflect a person’s outward shell, which is in a constant process of aging and decay. Someone’s soul and character, however, reflect his or her inner being, which is ageless and eternal and reveals the real person. Remembering that we are in the presence of God allows us to reflect his beauty. Nothing is wrong with paying attention to our physical appearance, but we should not do this to the neglect of our spiritual appearance. We are often distracted by our own appearance or the appearances of others (looking for friends among those who seem most impressive to us). But what an impact we can have on others when they miss what’s on our outside because they can’t take their eyes off what’s on the inside—God himself shining through us.

Question 2

How can appearances be deceiving?

Accepted Answer

1 Samuel 16:6-7When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”Matthew 23:28“Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”The appearance of a person’s body does not reveal the condition of that person’s heart.

Question 3

Can I trust someone based on their appearance?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 53:3He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.Matthew 23:28“Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”John 1:45-46Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”What we see on the outside does not always match what people are like on the inside—their true identity and character. Appearances can be misleading. Jesus came to earth as a plain-looking man and was not recognized as God’s Son despite the perfect condition of his heart. Be careful not to judge people based on how they look.

Question 4

What is the danger in evaluating others based on appearance?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 23:28“Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”2 Corinthians 11:13-15These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.A beautiful cover does not make an excellent book. In the same way, appearances can hide many faults. For a while, a smooth talker can cover up for a lack of substance. Religious activity usually appears to be good but can sometimes be a cover for self-centered motives. We should make sure to focus on substance, not on image.

Question 5

How can I see beyond appearances?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 7:16-21“You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. . . . A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. . . . Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”1 John 4:1-3Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.God’s people must be “fruit inspectors,” looking beyond appearances and words to the actual by-products of a person’s behavior and character. Obedience to the Bible is an essential test of authentic faith in Jesus Christ. Good works alone are not sufficient. One’s words and visible works must match their character and conduct.

Question 6

What is the value of maintaining a good appearance?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 6:17“When you fast, comb your hair and wash your face.”Matthew 7:20“Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”1 Corinthians 6:19-20Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.Colossians 3:17Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.We should not be obsessed with our physical appearance, but neither should we ignore it. How we present ourselves is in part a reflection of who we are and can affect our ability to interact with others. A Christian’s body is the house in which the Holy Spirit dwells, so we should keep up the place in which he lives. The more we care for the body, the more energy we will have to serve him. Keeping our bodies clean and healthy will allow more opportunities to become involved in the lives of others and to influence them with the good news of Jesus. How we present ourselves can help us represent Jesus Christ.