WHY DO BELIEVERS OFTEN LOOK LIKE LOSERS?

WHY DO BELIEVERS OFTEN LOOK LIKE LOSERS?

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It is Cain's lineage, not the good son Seth's lineage, that is credited with the advancements in music and technology:

• He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron...(Genesis 4:21-22)

Initially, I had found this hard to accept, thinking instead that, “It should have been the righteous and not the unrighteous line blessed with these advancements. The Bible seems to be giving the wrong message."

However, I later found that this is a message that the Bible often gives (Psalm 37, 73), and we are perplexed by this. Shouldn't the righteous, instead, be blessed?

We are indeed blessed, but there are several reasons why we may not see this. For one thing, those God loves, He disciplines (Hebrews 12:5-11):

∑       Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" (1 Peter 4:16-17)

Any building under construction is not going to seem appealing until the external work is finished. However, this takes time, because our Lord begins pruning us deep within to first humble us in order to exalt us (Luke 18:14). Consequently, we are often seen grimacing, not smiling, humbled by our failures and blemishes, and not exalting in our triumphs.

Besides, we do not all start the race in the same place. Instead, the chosen of God start far behind, because God often chooses the outcasts of society:

• For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Consequently, we are not attractive to the natural eye.

Lastly, we might be looking through the wrong lens, one which will not detect real growth, the fruit that God sees. Our lens sees only the surface. We are unable to see the real person and the deep work of God.

God had sent the wise Prophet Samuel to the household of Jesse on a secret mission to anoint a new king of Israel. However, Samuel was relying on his own judgment to select one of Jesse's son:

• When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord 's anointed is before him." But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:6-7)

It turned out that the Lord had His eye on Jesse's least impressive son, David.

Because we do not see as the Lord sees, we often regard as spiritual those who are not and overlook those who are. This is why Paul had stated:

• But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. (1 Corinthians 4:3-5)

Let's face it, there is much that we cannot perceive - the Spirit world, our oneness in the Body of Christ, and even our oneness with our wives.

Therefore, we have been instructed to walk by faith and not by sight.