Doubts Welcome

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

More often than we’d like to admit.

And not just in the world—but sometimes, even in church.

We don’t always say it out loud.

But it shows up in subtle ways.

Who gets welcomed quickly… and who gets overlooked.
Who is seen as “put together”… and who is quietly questioned.
Who is given a platform… and who is kept at a distance.

Sometimes it’s based on appearance.
How someone dresses.
How they present themselves.

Sometimes it’s background.
Where they come from.
What they’ve been through.

And sometimes, it’s status.
What they have.
What they’ve achieved.

And without realising it, we can start assigning value to people based on these things.

But that was never the heart of God.

Throughout the Bible, we see a different pattern.

God doesn’t choose based on outward appearance.
He doesn’t prioritise status.
He doesn’t overlook people because of their past.

In fact, Jesus often moved toward the very people others overlooked.

The ones judged.
The ones misunderstood.
The ones pushed to the margins.

And maybe that should make us pause.

Because church was never meant to mirror the world’s way of ranking people.

It was meant to reflect God’s heart.

A place where people are seen.
Valued.
Welcomed.

Not because of how they look, what they have, or where they come from—

But because of who they are.

The truth is, we all have biases.

We all make quick judgments sometimes.

But faith invites us to become aware of that… and to grow beyond it.

To look deeper.
To listen more.
To see people the way God sees them.

Because every person who walks through those doors carries a story.

A journey.
A value that isn’t determined by appearance, background, or status.

So maybe the question isn’t:
“Do we judge?”

But:
“Are we willing to recognise it—and change?”

Because the way we see people…

Should reflect the God we say we follow.