God Looks At The Heart

When Rachel, a well-dressed young woman, walked into my British Literature class, I noticed that her most attractive feature was thick, glossy, brunette hair, perfectly coiffed. I thought … if only all female students would go to such trouble to improve their looks before appearing in public. Nowadays, many don’t; the way some dress is appalling. With shorts that are little more than panties, T-shirts sagging from underneath their blouses, unkempt hair, and dirty, unlaced sneakers, they look like tramps.

Jaybird, I feel awful about my first impression of that man. I thought he was ugly; now I see him as a beautiful human being

To my dismay the following week, Rachel, succumbing to a peer group fad, came to class not only in tramp-like attire, but also with fluorescent green hair. By coincidence, we were discussing a Shakespearean sonnet in which the poet comments unfavorably about his lady’s outward appearance, but steadfastly maintains that he loves her. With Rachel’s altered appearance in mind, I asked her why Shakespeare loved the woman, despite her unattractiveness. She answered, “Because she was beautiful where it really counts — on the inside.” Her correct response brought to mind a cherished memory. One afternoon, my boyhood best friend and mentor Jaybird and I were lounging on his front porch looking across my father’s Mississippi Delta farm when a car pulled up. A small, bow-legged black man with a missing hand and a hump in his back stepped out. His wizened face was covered with white scraggly whiskers, he walked with a cane, and his smile was missing all but a few teeth. I thought … that is one ugly man. After exchanging amenities with Jaybird, he pointed his cane toward me and asked, “Who might this be?” Chuckling, Jaybird answered, “That’s Junior, my white son.” Leon wanted to know all about me, and after every question, he said, “Why, that’s wonderful,” “How interesting,” or, “I’ll bet Jaybird is mighty proud of you.” Then, when he fetched a large bag of candy from the car, Jaybird commented, “Leon always brings me some of his delicious homemade candy; I’ll bet he gives it to you this time.” I was thrilled to receive the candy. After Leon left, I confessed, “Jaybird, I feel awful about my first impression of that man. I thought he was ugly; now I see him as a beautiful human being.” Smiling proudly, my mentor said, “Son, the Lord does not see His children as they see each other. We put too much emphasis on outward appearance, but He wants us to view each other as He does. God looks at the heart.” A few weeks later, I noticed that Rachel’s hair was no longer green, and asked why. She answered, “Mom said natural is always more beautiful than unnatural and that I should concentrate less on my outward appearance and more on making myself beautiful on the inside, for that is where the Lord looks.” “Your mother taught you a very valuable lesson, young lady,” and recalling what that beloved old black man told me so many years ago, I said, “Always remember: God looks at the heart.”