Lighting Up Our City Video 6: Dealing With Hard Questions and DoubtsSample

But the Lord said to Samuel, “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 Sam. 16:7)

Have you ever been in a group where you felt like you didn’t really fit in? Perhaps, it has even been at a Bible study where you felt like you didn’t know enough to ask the questions that kept coming to mind throughout the study? Do you just keep quiet, hoping no one will notice you or call on you?

What would it take to have the courage to speak up and ask those questions? For me, it has been when someone else in the group has asked the question that I thought was dumb or obvious.

When we encounter someone who is willing to be vulnerable, then we can risk being vulnerable ourselves. I always appreciate those people so much because it seems to bring the sharing to a deeper level, it gets to the heart of the matter. Authentic sharing, being genuine and real with others, opens doors to real conversations.

We do not want to be like the religious hypocrites that Jesus confronted frequently. He told them (and tells us today), “You can't keep your true self hidden forever; before long you'll be exposed. You can't hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known” (Luke 12:2 MSG).

Isn’t it better and easier to be transparent and authentic?

Instead of reflecting the world—what it says we should look like, sound like, act like—we should instead reflect the character of God through our love, kindness, and compassion towards others. While the world may look at the exterior, God looks at our hearts (1 Sam 16:17).

We want to be a true, genuine, real reflection of our Father so that our “light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

By Teresa Baumbach