I'm sure that at one point or another we have all heard the expression, "Don't judge a book by its cover." This is good advice. It means that we should not draw our conclusions about something based on its outward appearance. Sometimes, a book that does not look very attractive contains a marvelous story. On the other hand, sometimes a book that looks terrific is really quite disappointing. As a result, we have learned that we must read the book before we can pass judgment on it - the cover just does not give us enough information on which to build an accurate opinion. The same thing can be true of people. Some people have a sparkling clean outside but are filthy on the inside. Other people don't have much of a 'cover', but inside they are golden. So, the question is, can we rightfully judge a person by his or her cover?

First of all, let me begin by saying this - if we are Christians, we should have a beautiful cover. In fact, we must have one. Jesus commanded in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Letting our light shine is the same thing as showing our cover. People should be able to look at us and our deeds and see that we are different. This is the only way that we can lead them to Christ.

The person who does not have a good 'cover' is not letting his or her light shine. And what is that light? It is good deeds. We must be constantly working - doing good. This is as important for our own benefit as it is for the world's. Remember 2 Cor. 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." Therefore, our woks do matter. We must have a good cover.

Having said that, there is something else that is just as important if not more important - being good on the inside. If we are bad on the inside, it does not matter how beautiful our cover is. The first part of Proverbs 23:7 is a very popular passage of Scripture. In the King James Version it reads, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." I don't know what you think about when you hear this verse, but I have heard it misapplied a number of times. If we examine the context, it is not difficult to understand. We are presented with a man who invites another person to his house for dinner, but inside he is selfish and does not really want to share his food. Although his actions are right, his heart is not in the right place. As a result of this rotten attitude, his actions end up being nullified. In other words, his good deeds don't count.

Although we could probably use a number of examples of those who appear good on the outside and are bad on the inside, the Pharisees may be the best example of this bad book with a good cover. Jesus often called them 'hypocrites.' This is the same word that the Greeks used to describe an actor in the theater. And that is exactly what the Pharisees were - actors. They pretended to be good, but they really weren't good. They often did the right things, but their hearts were not really in it. Jesus described them in Matthew 23:27 as "whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." The Pharisees were good on the outside, but bad on the inside. That just won't work.

As Christians, we need to strive to have a good cover and also have good content. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, "...unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). This means that we have to be righteous on the inside as well as on the outside. Let's make sure that people can judge us by our cover - and that what is on the inside (our heart) is reflected by what is on the outside (our deeds). Let your light shine!

- The Forrest Hills Messenger, 11/15/15