And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

Would you say you're pretty or handsome? More than likely you think of yourself as average and unexceptional.

No matter where you rank yourself, few would be eager to join the group of self-named "uglies" who picketed a major airline's ticket office not so long ago. They were protesting what they felt to be alleged discrimination against hiring people who weren't attractive.

The group, "Uglies Unlimited," was formed to fight prejudice against ugly people. The president of the group said, "We just want to be accepted for who we are instead of what we look like."

That's a pretty tall order.

In truth, most of us make our first evaluations of others on the basis of what they look like. On the other hand, most of us give thanks when we find someone who loves us and accepts us on the basis of who we are, rather than just first-impression, outside appearances.

These people are special, and we need to let them know they're appreciated.

Chief among those who love us for who we are, and not what we look like, is the Lord. His willingness to see us for who we ought to be, and His dedication to making that transformation possible is one of the reasons God makes an impact on so many people.

The Lord is indifferent to what we look like on the outside and cares only that we are beautiful on the inside. And for those of us who feel their insides are pretty ugly, filled with sadness and despair, there is the good news that God is willing to transform us through His Son. Because of Jesus' life, suffering, death, and resurrection all who believe on Him are washed, cleaned, forgiven, and saved.

This is just another way of saying we who have been fearfully and wonderfully remade by the Savior never need to picket heaven.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, You delight in me as Your child. Thank You, my God, for sending Your Son to transform me into a saved and forgiven soul. May all those who see me see the beauty of the Savior. In His Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 93-95    Philippians 4

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