“I miss our old church,” my husband said, “especially the music they’d play after Pastor’s sermon.”

“You do?” I said, rubbing my chin.

We had just moved, and our former church had what they called “After-Glow.” The band would play worship music, mostly spontaneous, and the choir would sing. This would go on for about an hour, or whenever everyone had exited. The congregants would go to the front and worship too–that is–except my husband. He would retreat to the furthest row of the auditorium where the lights had already been turned off, and there he would wait. I, the exuberant one, would be up front enjoying the worship. So when he said he “missed” our church, I was puzzled. judging his appearances, he did not look like he was participating, and I had never asked him if he was.

“Yes,” my husband said.

“But you never participated….”

“Yes I did.”

“How so?”

“I’d pray and say, ‘Lord I am here. If You would like to come and sit with me, I would like that.”

“Did He?”

My husband looked upward, “Sometimes… And I miss that. A lot.”

I had misjudged my husband—badly! I felt ashamed for having judged my husband’s actions—or rather—his appearances of inaction, as not participating in the worship.

Perhaps my blunder is why God says in His Word, “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 16:7b NKJV) 

I had been looking at my husband’s outward appearance, and judging his heart based on his worship style. Friend, have you done the same? If so, it’s time to take a step back and give your friend or family member a little grace as I learned I needed to do.

I apologized to my husband profusely. He hugged me and told me my exuberance blessed him too. We laughed, and to illustrate ‘worship’ my husband took a staunch stand while I lifted my arms skyward. Never again would I allow myself to judge him or anybody else based on their worship style.

Friend, God loves you. In fact, He is crazy in love with you! Whether you jump for joy or rest your head on a pew, God loves you just the same. Whether you sing like an angelic being, or you rasp out a song off-key, God hears, and smiles, the same is true. Whether you pray silently, aloud, or you in tongues, He is there. Whether you worship exuberantly, with raised hands, dancing, praising, jumping, and you are all motion and emotion, or you are completely still–Jesus visits you and I according to the condition of our hearts. The Lord receives us every time we draw close. Every. Time. No matter our outward appearance may be, God knows exactly what is in our hearts, and He receives us accordingly.

So, regardless of your worship style, let this be our prayer, “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead … I press on, that I my lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me… I press toward the mark for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:10-11, 12b, 14 KJV). Knowing Jesus intimately is what worship is all about. Focus on Jesus and let your heart reach upward to Him. Don’t worry about the rest—especially appearances.

How does knowing God receives us according to our heart’s condition help you to not judge another’s worship style?

Lord Jesus, forgive me for judging others’ worship styles by their appearances. Help me to know You with reckless abandon, regardless of my worship expressions. I ask that You give me a pliable heart, and a love for You that goes beyond my natural abilities.

Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2019: Judging Appearances: Diane Virginia: All Rights Reserved