1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Psalms 147:10-11 His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
1 Peter 3:4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
John 7:24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
1 Kings 8:39 then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind),
1 Chronicles 28:9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.
Jeremiah 17:10 “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Hebrews 4:13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Revelation 2:23 And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.
Appearances can deceive. They can fool us into thinking someone is upright, truthful, kind, nice, and patient. We can look at the wrong thing(s) and see something that is not there. How they dress, how they talk, where they live, what they drive, and the places they go can all give us a false impression. We think this gives us a pretty good look at their worth. The problem with this mindset of assessing people this way is that it can also be a way that we look at ourselves and be deceived about our walk with God. We can look at prosperity, health, position, and think we are right with God because of what we have and forget to look at our heart, mind, and soul. God looks at our heart, our intentions, and our thoughts. Do not be deceived Gal 6:7 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
The word of God speaks about the things that lead us astray, like, fleshly desires, pride, lust, greed, and lack of desire for humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Jesus Christ. It is very hard to humbly serve and follow someone with whom you spend little time. It is hard to change a pattern of worldly thoughts if there is nothing there to replace them. The word of God is active and can be active in our heart and mind if we would just spend time with it.
Charles Pope: OK, clear enough? Do not be deceived; do not be carried away or carried off by errors or by the sinful lies of this present evil age. As St. Paul says elsewhere, Test everything; hold fast what is good, abstain from every form of evil (1 Thess 5:21-22). Yes, square everything with the Word of God in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Know the catechism; know your faith. Know the true Lord, the real Jesus of Scripture (not the fake Jesus of convenience). Test everything, everything by these standards. Do not be deceived.
For the preacher, the teacher and the parent comes this instruction from St. Paul: I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. 5
