Looks Can Be Deceiving

It’s true.  Looks can be deceiving.  A person can be one way in appearance, but something altogether different inside. 

Outward appearances do not prove the heart.  We really don’t have to look any farther in scriptures than the Pharisees.  They wanted to impress people with their religion.  They looked religious — very religious — and that’s what they were counting on.

But God was not moved. 

The Pharisees were self-righteous.  Their appearance looked great, but inside they were a mess.  Jesus talked about this in Matthew 23:5-9 as a part of seven woes that he issued to the Jewish leaders. 

“Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;  they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi’.  But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.  And do not call anyone on earth ‘father’, for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.” (NIV).

The word we like to use for this type of behavior in present day language is hypocrite.  Being a hypocrite is bad, because a hypocrite has a difficult time changing and is a very poor example and a bad influence.

Paul instructs us in II Corinthians 5:12 with these words.  “We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than what is in the heart.”  (NIV)

It’s a true statement that looks can be deceiving and they can be harmful to Christianity if our actions do not back up what we look like.