What does it matter?

What does it matter.....

........................................if a person comes to church wearing tattoos or body piercings?

........................................if a woman wears a dress to church?

........................................if a person does not show up to choir practice? Let him sing, for goodness sake!

........................................if a woman wears slacks to church? Let her sing in the choir, for goodness sake!

........................................if a woman wears makeup or not?

........................................if my son's sports teams win or not?

........................................if I drive a clunker vehicle or a fancy schmantcy car?

........................................if someone lives in a mansion or a double wide trailer?

........................................if someone has a beautiful smile or bad teeth?

........................................if my boys wear namebrand clothing or wal-mart brand?

........................................if a man wears his hair long?

........................................if someone is heavier than I am?

........................................if, if, if, if, if, if, the list could go on and on and on.

All these things focus on the outside! It is focusing on the material things of this world.

And not one of them matter one iota at all! Absolutely nothing of this world is important! Because all the things that we see, that we touch, that are around us right now are absolutely nothing! For it is the things that we cannot see right now, that we cannot touch right now that are the most important things to focus our thoughts! We cannot see the spiritual world, we cannot see Heaven, we cannot see God, Jesus nor the Holy Spirit. Aren't these things the most absolute important things? They are in my life. How about yours?

For what does God focus on in man? He looks at his heart and what is on the inside! The Holy Spirit deals with us and communes with us and talks with us on the inside! That is the most important part of man that concerns God...it has absolutely nothing to do with his outward appearance!

My outward appearance does not matter one iota to God at all!

So, why should anybody else's appearance matter to me? I HAVE, HAVE, HAVE to stop judging people by my initial impression. I will be the first one to admit that I make an initial judgement when I see someone. Is that person a bad person for having tattoos? Can that person not control their eating? Is my son's coach not doing a good job since they aren't winning?

I have to stop, take a deep breath and NOT JUDGE!

Dear Lord above, please help me to find the wisdom to not judge any person at all by their outward appearance! I know that I don't want to be judged, so I have to treat every person in the manner that I want to be treated! If I want to be loved, I have to show love! If I want to be respected, I have to show respect! For You love me for all my weaknesses, my frailties, my problems, my sins of the past and present, my iniquities. You do not judge me on the outside. You know me on the inside! Thank You for continuing to love me despite all the wrongs that I do!!