Appearances
They say never judge a book by its cover. Here's a true story.
A middle-aged man took his laptop computer to the local shop to get it fixed. The shop assistant was in his early-twenties, he had a shaved head, a small tattoo on his neck and a silver ring pierced near his eye-brow.
You could tell from the expression on the customer's face that he wasn't listening to the shop assistant explaining how the computer could be fixed. He said he'd think about it and walked away with his computer in hand. No doubt he had lost confidence in the shop assistant and the store that employed him.
Pity ... because for all we know, the shop assistant may have been a good person. He may have been kind, considerate and generous. He may also have been a genius at fixing computers. Why, he may have been a Christian too ... just like us!
But the customer's prejudice about his appearance came in the way.
When Jesus walked amongst us He met many people whose appearance may not live up to our standards. Lepers for instance who were shunned by everyone. People possessed by demons. The poor, the sick, the blind and the oppressed.
Jesus did not avoid them. He did not let their appearance come in the way. He took pity on them and healed them.
Let us pray that we do not allow our prejudices to take over when we next meet someone whose appearance we don't like.
© Copyright V Moubarak 2007