I love watching my little one eat.  As with most things, she’s very particular about her food- not just the food that she’s eating, but it’s also important to her that it LOOKS a certain way.  We’ve gotten into a groove with feeding her food that she likes and getting her to gradually try new things.  It’s been a process, but we’ve seen growth and improvement.

Yesterday she was eating her dinner, and as normal, she saved her vegetables for last.  I watched as she methodically ate her peas and corn with her spoon, but I also noticed that there were some that were removed and placed on a napkin.  As I looked closer at those that were placed on a napkin, I noticed that they were the peas and corn that looked “different”.  Perhaps the pea wasn’t perfectly round or the kernel of corn was broken.  Although the taste was the same, and it was still the same on the inside, she had discarded these and deemed them “not good enough” because of how they looked.

I knew better to engage her 4 and  a half year old logic, and it wasn’t that big of a deal to me to try to force her to eat them (what’s 4 or 5 pieces of veggies in the scheme of a half-cup serving?).  But what it really made me do was think and reflect on how often I have discarded something (or someone) because of how they look.  It really tugged at my heart and made me realize that being a true member of God’s family means focusing on a person’s inner appearance more than their outer appearance.  If I can’t get past outer appearance, am I really concerned about their heart condition?  Our vision for people has to be greater than our sight of them.

I’m praying for the Lord to give me new eyes to see people, opportunities, and circumstances in the way that He would have me to.  As a person who has been overlooked, I don’t want to overlook others because they don’t look the way I think they should.  Lord, help me to see your people and care for your people in the way that you would.

Be encouraged!  Peace and Blessings!

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height…. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)