"Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgement." John 7:24
Our whole country is caught up in appearance today, almost to the point of making it an idol. We are consumed by the desire to be thin, to be beautiful, to dress with flair and style. Al of these may be perfectly legitimate personal goals, but can all too easily pervert them, try to impose them on others, and then judge everyone as unworthy who doesn't measure up.
Today the fit mock those who puff their way up the stairs. The beautiful recommend nose jobs. The tall look down on the small; those who look as if they need a good sandwich feel superior to those who have obviously had too many.
Jesus tells us to look beyond the surface, to judge actions, not appearances. We have no right to make our personal preferences the basis for judging the worthiness of others.
Father, just as I don't want to be judged by my acceptance of some popular trend, neither do I want to judge others by my own personal preferences. Keep me sensitive to the feelings of others and help me see the true person beyond the surface.