April 26, 2025

Hyemi and I were driving around one day, and there was a dump truck ahead of us. I am always afraid of dump trucks, thinking that a rock would fly off and hit our windshield (which has happened to us in the past on a highway). So we went around the truck and came to a stop at the light. Soon, the truck caught up to us and shifted to the left turn lane and stopped right next to us. Its passenger side window was half open, and there was loud music coming out of it. It was opera music being sung by a male soloist. Hyemi and I looked at each other, and I told her, “I wasn’t expecting to hear opera music from that dump truck!” Yes, it was a stereotype, and I made a judgment according to its looks. Too often, we fall into that trap of judging the book by its covers.

Even the great prophet Samuel had a stereotype and judged by the looks when the Lord told him to anoint the next king of Israel. The Lord told Samuel, “For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7. As we remind ourselves that we should make judgments on other before actually getting to know them, we should also consider what God would see in our hearts. Consider the encouragement Apostle Paul gives us, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3. I hope that when we encounter others, that they will see us in a worthy manner of who we are as followers of Jesus. 

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