The Heart Over the Appearance

Reflection

It’s amazing how quickly we judge people based on appearances. I’m no different. I use my eyes to observe the world around me, and like most of us, I tend to make assumptions based on how someone looks. When someone is well-dressed and groomed, it’s easy to assume they have good character, that they are educated or trustworthy. On the flip side, when someone appears unkempt, perhaps with ragged clothing or messy hair, we may quickly judge them as less worthy or even dangerous.

We tend to trust and think highly of those who have it all put together on the outside, much like the Pharisees. They were the religious leaders of Jesus’ time, and from the outside, they appeared righteous. They seemed to follow the law, to pray fervently, and to be pious. But as Jesus pointed out, their outward actions were nothing but a façade. Despite their outward appearances of holiness, their hearts were far from God. They were full of hypocrisy and sin, and they misled the people who admired them.

Jesus’ words here expose a crucial truth: outward displays of righteousness are meaningless if the heart is not aligned with God. The Pharisees were like "whited sepulchres", beautiful on the outside but full of death and decay on the inside. They went through the motions of religious activity, presenting themselves as righteous, but their actions were empty because their hearts were filled with hypocrisy and sin.

This isn’t just a warning for the Pharisees; it’s a call for all of us to examine our hearts. How often do we hide behind a façade of righteousness, hoping our outward actions will impress others or make us appear more holy than we truly are? It's easy to get caught up in the external, what we wear, how we pray, how we act in public. But Jesus calls us to examine the inside, the condition of our hearts. True righteousness is not about outward displays; it is about a heart that is humble, pure, and fully surrendered to God.

We should be careful not to fall into the trap of doing the right things for the wrong reasons. Jesus desires authenticity, not a show. He wants us to seek a heart that truly loves Him and desires to live in His will, rather than simply putting on an act for others to see.