"Looks Can Be Deceiving!"
Recently, I returned from a three-day trip with both sons to Minneapolis. We were there to watch our beloved Cardinals play the Twins at beautiful Target Field with its unique limestone facade and mid-tier wooden fold down seats. What a great venue and energized baseball setting! During this short flight up and back, we were surprised to find that Delta had outfitted their planes with several amenities and on-board enhancements.
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| Yes! This is for "plug and play!" |
These are
the conveniences most air travelers expect these days: Wi-Fi, monitors for movie and television
viewing, and charging outlets conveniently within reach. We should have known
that with so many of us using our devices like laptops, smartphones, iPads, and
wireless earbuds that these changes were going to be routinely implemented no
matter what the destination or size of the aircraft!
But we did
have an issue with the outlet below the seat in front of us. It didn’t look
like a standard outlet, but it was! What confused us was that there seemed to
be multiple apertures or openings that didn’t seem to match our chargers. One
son remarked, “Here’s another instance where outward appearances can be
deceptive.” The other son quipped tongue-in-cheek, “Don’t judge an outlet by
its cover!” 😊
When was
the last time that some level of reality didn’t match your expectations? Have
you ever tried to assemble or use something without following directions? We
recently purchased a couple of handy bread slicing tools with guides and
cutting board that confused one of our grandsons. While this boy is an
unabashed “foodie” and loves his mother’s sourdough bread, he had never seen
anything like this kitchen tool!
Have you
ever prejudged a person? Our Lord showed no partiality and was drawn to the needs
of the blind, people with leprosy, tax collectors, prostitutes, Gentiles, and
others living on the margins of society. When Jesus was criticized by the
Jewish religious leaders of His day for “hanging out” with outsiders to the
faith, He reasoned, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do. I
have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know
they are sinners.” (Mark 2:17, NLT).
We are
entering the final weeks of an election cycle for our country. I’m sure that
many of you have already been asked too many times to give an opinion related
to a political issue. Many of us have our “intuitive antennas” raised on high
alert to try avoiding involvement in any contentious discussions.
Let’s
enter this season with a resolve to show respect for others and not prejudge
individuals who tend to take sides and share differing views. Jesus attracted
people to Himself and didn’t push others away. That should be our example as
well. Remember, “outward appearances can be (and often are!) deceptive.” There
are good and sincere people out there on both sides!
Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
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