Outward Appearances

1 Samuel 16:7 “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.”

A devotional reading on this Bible verse stated that you cannot judge a book by its cover, but men and women do, indeed, look on the outward appearance rather than inward convictions. This has always been true, but never more so than in these latter days, even among evangelical Christians.

There is very little emphasis in the Bible on such things, however. As far as dress and adornment are concerned, Paul said in 1 Timothy 2:9-10: “that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.” Why? Because, in our sinful flesh, it doesn’t take much to make the saints stumble. The same principle surely would apply also to men. Men are naturally attracted to attractive women and women to handsome men, but outward appearances are not always what they seem. Curb-appeal can be deceiving. 

With respect to physical conditioning and development, the following is almost the only reference in the Bible: 1 Timothy 4:8 “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” Beauty (as attractive as it is) is only skin-deep and temporal. Inner-beauty in godliness of the heart, mind and soul is bottomless and eternal. There is nothing wrong, of course, with physical beauty or athletic prowess, unless they vainly center attention on self rather than Christ, but it is the “inner person” of the heart, where true strength and beauty should be sought. Therefore, as Jesus said in John 7:24, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment”. The Lord looks on the heart, and so should we.

Blessings