The other day, a friend and I went to the local women’s fitness club to try it out. My spare tire has gone from a ten speed bicycle tire to a motorcycle tire in a few short months of winter, sitting around with nothing to do but eat. I don’t want it to become a tractor tire, so I figure I better do something about it, and a free week at the club just might get me started. We went in and had to do a fitness assessment before we could work on the machines. We could see the women working out... all shapes, sizes and ages. Most were quite a bit older than me and a few were heavier than I am. I kept glancing in their direction and mostly because of their appearance, I was thinking ‘this going to be too easy’ and ‘is this going to be challenging enough?' I thought I was in pretty good shape physically… except for that spare tire, anyway.
Our interview ended and the instructor led us out to show us how to use the machines. They are arranged in a circle and you only have to stay at each ‘station’ for thirty seconds. First there is a strength building machine and between each one is a board for walking or jogging in place. We started around the 'circuit'. We weren’t going very fast because we were following the instructor as she demonstrated each machine for us. About half way around is a station that measures your heart rate. When I got to it, I was already starting to sweat and even feeling a little light headed. The instructor checked the rate and told me it was high and that I should slow down a little. By the time I made it to the machine the second time, my heart was really going. A couple of times I felt like I might pass out and I was having a hard time at each machine even though it was only thirty seconds. I was sweating and probably looked like a woman in labor. So much for thinking I’m in pretty good shape… so much for thinking this was easy.
It’s funny how seeing things from a different ‘angle’ can give you a whole new perspective. I had been on the outside looking in. I was making determinations based on my own ideas and perceptions. I was making judgments without actually knowing much of anything at all… and boy was I wrong.
How often do we do this in life? How many times do we look at a person and think we know all about them because of a few things we see on the outside? How many times do we take those ideas and make them into some kind of reality in our head, never really taking the time to find out the truth? How many times do we take these preconceived ideas and interject those ideas into what people say, making it mean what we think it means instead of caring enough to find out? If we would take time to get ‘on the inside’ we might find out that things look a lot different.
I’m glad God’s not like that. He knows. He can see past the outer roughness, weakness, or whatever else we may seem to be on the outside. He knows the inside. He knows the heart. He knows the good and the bad and he loves us. He encourages us in what is good and forgives what is bad. He is full of mercy and grace. I want to be like that.
1 Samuel 16:7(b) The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Romans 14:13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
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