The modern-day drowns us out with the idea that our worth is based on our physical appearance. With the emphasis placed on physical appearance in the mediums of social media, many of us have lost sight of where and who our worth is found in.
Magazines, social media, and fashion models give us a false notion that our identity is found in our physical appearance. Despite the teachings of the world, the Bible tells us God sees more than the physical appearance.
Looking at the Heart
In the Book of 1 Samuel, we are told about the account of Samuel searching for the new king of Israel. When Samuel is led to the home of Jesse, Jesse believes one of his older, handsome, stronger sons will be the rightful king of Israel.
The Lord speaks to Samuel and says, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. 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).
None of Jesse’s handsome, strong sons were God’s anointed. God was not looking at the physical appearance of the individual but rather the heart.
When Samuel asks Jesse if he has any other sons, Jesse tells Samuel that there is only the youngest left, who was working in the fields as a shepherd with the sheep.
Samuel asks for Jesse to call his youngest son, and as soon as Samuel sees David, the Lord tells Samuel, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one” (1 Samuel 16:12b).
From this passage of Scripture, we are told that God sees more than the physical appearance —He looks at the heart. The Lord tells Samuel that people look at the outward, physical appearance, yet God looks at what is inside of the person, which is their heart.
In our day and age, more emphasis is placed on the physical appearance rather than the inside of a person. Our modern culture says what makes a person beautiful is the way they look, yet God says what makes a person beautiful is their heart. Our sinful flesh looks only on the surface, whereas God looks beyond into our hearts.
What is inside of our hearts makes us who we are. If our hearts are filled up with hate, anger, and jealousy, it will rot our bones, yet if our hearts are filled with love, kindness, and mercy, we will bring glory to God.
Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” When we guard our hearts, we will be able to protect ourselves and keep our hearts pure for the Lord.
Similar to Proverbs 4:23, Proverbs 27:19 says, “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” In other words, our lives and the way we behave reflect our hearts. Our hearts are the important part of us that God looks at — not our physical appearance.
Despite the emphasis placed upon our physical appearance by the world, God sees more than our physical appearance. He looks at our hearts and our intentions. God has already declared each of us beautiful as we are His wonderful creations (Psalm 139:13-16).
When God created us, He created us in His image (Genesis 1:27). Our lives are more than our physical appearance as our lives are meant to serve Christ. Paul urges us to offer our bodies as instruments of righteousness as he says,
Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:13-14).
Another important passage we should consider when discussing the way God views us is Proverbs 31:30, “Charm can fool you. Beauty fades. But a woman who has respect for the Lord should be praised.”
If God placed a huge emphasis on physical appearance as the world does, why would these words be penned in the Bible? In this passage of Proverbs 31:30, God tells us directly that a woman who has respect for the Lord should be praised.
Charm can fool us, and beauty fades away after time, yet the one who respects the Lord is the one who is seen as beautiful before the eyes of God.
This is because God doesn’t measure our worth on our physical appearance or by the standards of the world. He sees past our physical appearance and into our hearts.
Reflecting God
Just as God sees more than the physical appearance, we, too, should look past a person’s appearance and look at their heart. Are they kind, generous, and loving? These are the things that make a person beautiful, not their outward appearance.
Everybody is beautiful, and everybody is worthy because we are God’s children. We should not judge a person because they don’t meet our ideal, nor should we leave someone out or bully them because they are not “pretty” in our eyes.
We need to treat others the way Jesus commands us. The Lord tells us, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).
Think about the people you want to be around in your daily life. Would you rather want to be around someone who society deemed as conventionally attractive yet was mean and bullied you, or would you rather be around someone who was nice, kind, and loved Jesus?
Most of us would choose the latter as we naturally would prefer to be around people who are kind, loving, and caring.
In this way, we can see how we reflect God because despite all of the glitter and gold Hollywood aims at us, we would still rather have friends and relationships with those who have beautiful hearts.
Why Does This Matter?
Therefore, God sees more than the physical appearance because he looks at our hearts. The world tries to sell us the idea that our physical appearance is the most important part of us, yet our hearts are truly the most important part of us.
God looks at our hearts, and He desires to see a heart that loves Him and is dedicated to Him. He doesn’t want to look into our hearts and find one that is rotten by hate, envy, and sin.
Our hearts will make themselves apparent in our lives by the way we love God, serve others, and take care of ourselves. In our own lives, we need to reflect on God and His view of others.
Rather than judging someone by their physical appearance, we need to look at their heart and see if they love God, love others, and are kind to everyone.
This can be hard with the emphasis placed on physical appearance today, yet we must all seek to cultivate the condition of our hearts rather than focusing strictly on appearances. At the end of the day, God looks at our hearts — not our physical appearance.
For further reading:
Why Does the World Care about My Weight When God Doesn't?
How Is Charm Deceptive and Beauty Fleeting?
What Does it Mean That We Are God’s Workmanship?
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