Never Judge A Book By Its Cover

We've often heard the above phrase, but what does it really mean as it relates to life?  Have there been times in your life where you've met someone and quickly dismissed them as being insignificant?  Well, I am here today to tell you never judge a book or a person by its cover!

I have come across people in my lifetime that by all outward appearances seemed to have nothing going for them.  Dress is always appropriate but one should not judge a person by their outer appearance.

To give two illustrations using movies, both containing similar situations where discounting a person because of their outer dress proved to be misleading with the first one being Selena.  For those that have seen the movie, Selena was a star.  In a scene in the movie, she and a friend had gone on a shopping trip where the store clerk was anything but helpful.  Suddenly, a man came in, recognized her and the store was soon flooded with people, not to purchase items but to see Selena.  When the clerk returned from wherever she had disappeared and saw all of the people gathered, she asked two questions--"What's going on?" and when they told her it was Selena, the next question was, "Who is Selena?".  Never judge a book by its cover.  

Selena and her friend were casually dressed in jeans and snubbed by the clerk.  She was there for the Grammy Awards as an award recipient.

The second story comes from the movie, "Pretty Woman".  Do you remember the scene where she's dressed like a hooker (and actually is) and goes shopping on Rodeo Drive?  Not only was she snubbed by the clerks but asked to leave the store. How rude!

Although in the beginning a hooker, her life changed towards the end of the movie.  Never judge a book by its cover.

Okay, so I've used movies, but in reality how many times have we ignored people or shunned them because of who we thought them to be?  Yes, unfortunately, this does happen in real life.

Can you remember times where you have run into a store, possibly after working on a not so pleasant job, casually dressed sans make-up and suit and the treatment received as opposed to times you were in your suit and heels?  Can you think of a time where you've been on the other end of the spectrum and actually sized someone up upon your initial meeting only later to realize how wrong you were?

They say first impressions are lasting impressions and I agree BUT when you come upon a new person that looks a little bit different than those you are accustomed to being around, please don't judge the book by the cover.

In life, we know where we've been but truth be told, none of us know exactly where we're going.  The same God that can and does often change us can and will do it for anyone.  The person you snubbed yesterday may be your boss tomorrow.  Don't judge a book by its cover.

Many times I've heard repeatedly about six degrees of separation.  Your first degree people are those you know directly.  The second degree people are those that your first degree ones know.  The third, fourth, fifth and sixth degree people follow through the first two.  Never discount anyone.  You honestly don't know who that person is nor who they know.

Please allow me to leave you with this...don't look at what you think you see, looks can be so deceiving. Uplift and encourage all you meet and tell them to keep believing.

Our God is no respecter of person. God is love and God is truth.  The truth is that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.  The truth is that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost as those that are whole have no need of a physician.

The truth is the word says we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  The truth is the word tells us to judge not as with the same measure we judge judgment will be measured back to us.

The challenge issued is to add value to all you meet, excluding none, and never judge a person by their outward appearance.  Man looks on the outside but God looks at the heart.

Never judge a book by its cover or a person by what you think you see.  In doing so, deception has taken place.