But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7
Looks can be deceiving. Did you know that? Though many of us know this expression, we all too often forget it. In a culture full of makeup, filters, and Photoshop, many have come to romanticize perfectionism. Social media has become a platform for people to post and polish their edited and filtered lives. Lives that display our best qualities, best pictures, greatest accomplishments, and so on. Though, we all know that life is not as perfect as our social media accounts attempt to display, our real-life expectations have become influenced by this perfectionist subculture. This is problematic because perfectionism leads to comparison and comparison leads to discontentment. And I believe many of us see this occurring in our personal lives. We find discontentment in our relationships. We find discontentment in our achievements. And we find discontentment in ourselves. Thus, we observe surface-level relationships, broken marriages, drug abuse, personal insecurity, and overall personal resentment. Contentment is quickly overshadowed by the poison of comparison. When we continuously compare ourselves with others, joy cannot be cultivated. Therefore, when we buy into perfectionism, we find ourselves insecure, and never content.
Additionally, perfectionism is a facade and very anti-Christian. Romans 3:10 states, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Simply put, we are not perfect. And we should not pretend to be. Unfortunately, perfectionism continues to find its way in our churches. Brothers and sisters in Christ are consumed with looks and public appearance. Church members are running late for church to put on makeup or find the perfect outfit. Worshipers are now requiring the most elaborate effects to inspire an emotional response of praise. People are even deciding their eternal destinies on the appearance of church buildings. Many churches have become just as superficial as the world it seeks to reach. We can get so caught up with looks and the appearance of things, that we compromise substance for social acceptance. And truth for temporary pleasure.
Where so many are worn out by the social pressures of perfectionism, the church needs to be different. The church needs to be real and authentic. The church is a place for sinners and rebels to worship a savior that offers forgiveness. It is vital that the church does not embrace perfectionism and thus forsake the gospel. For why would perfect people need a savior? A healthy church recognizes its imperfections. I am not advocating for the church to air out all its dirty laundry online, nor am I encouraging Christians to become unkempt. However, I would advise my brothers and sisters in Christ to be real. We must be discerning in what we look for as well as what we display to the world.
If we make judgments solely based on appearance or for fear of what others might perceive, then you and I will find ourselves lacking much. In fact, you would miss out on Christ. Isaiah 53:2 states, “For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” Jesus is described as not possessing any desirable physical qualities that would lead us to want Him. Would you have wanted Christ if you saw Him? If Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter’s son, walked by you on the street, would you even notice Him? See, looks can be deceiving. Jesus the most precious and beautiful person in all of history did not possess the beauty that we too often crave and seek. Jesus is the only one who can give us authentic fulfillment and contentment. As St. Augustine once said, “Our hearts will be restless until we rest in Him.”
When the world encourages us to look at the physical, God looks at the spiritual. God looks at the heart and calls us to do the same. The church must rise and find their worth and contentment in Christ alone. Do not be deceived.
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