The Only Opinion That Matters

When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, "Surely this is the Lord's anointed!" But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord doesn't make decisions the way you do!  People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions."

1 Samuel 16:6-7

Comforting words for a girl who can, too often, get caught up in what others think of her.  I know that the only opinion that really matters is God's, but so often I find myself worrying about what others think of me and their opinion about things going on in my life.  I think many of us, man or woman, can relate to this at one time or another.  It is a very natural thing to care about the opinions of others but this verse is telling us that the true opinion is that of God who looks at our thoughts and intentions rather than our outward appearance.  God knows what we are thinking, and the intentions behind our actions, so it doesn't matter what we look like when its happening and it doesn't matter if someone disagrees with us.  When we start to worry too much about what people think of us we become our own idols.  We worry more about ourselves than doing the right things or holding to our convictions.  Doing things one way or another because we want to make a good impression isn't necessary if what we are doing is wrong.  And if what we are doing is the right thing but for the wrong reasons we might as well have stayed at home.  God sees through our actions, into the heart, behind the action, and that is where our level of beauty lies.  You might have lingering sin in your life and God sees you trying to change, loving His children, reading His Word and praying every day.  He chooses to care for you and He loves you and honors you because He knows the real you.  Now someone from the outside might see this same person and just see the sin and decide that you aren't worthy, making her assumptions on only what she sees on the outside.  Or the opposite might happen where you are praying out loud, going to church every week and volunteering all your time but behind all that good works you don't trust Jesus and you continue living a life full of sin.  Someone from the outside would see all that and assume you are a christian but God would know the heart and intentions behind all those good works and He would have a different opinion.   

Friends, I hope today you can trust Who you are in God's eyes.  Believe that if you are walking in His light that you will shine brightly and beauty will radiate from you regardless of what anyone else thinks.  Don't ever forget that God sees past the wrinkles, the bad habits and your faults and sees through to your soul.  He looks at your thoughts and intentions and knows your heart which is where the true you resides.  You may try and hide from your friends or acquaintances but from God you can never hide.  He knows the real you, and in this world with so many people and things, God is the only person you need to win over.  God is the only opinion that matters when it comes to eternity and He is awesome so who really cares what anyone else thinks!