BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP

KEY TEXT: Proverbs 23:31-32 (KJV) – “³¹ Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. ³² At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.”

Proverbs 23:31-32 warns us against judging things from their appearance. All that glitters is not gold. In its carnality, the human heart cherishes things simply because they glisten. The devil knows this, that is why he has tailored his deception so that it is too close to the truth.

It is like two identical twins who resemble each other, and the sole contrast is a minor beauty spot that regularly passes undiscovered. Sometimes it may take a diligent study of the two to detect that characteristic. Sometimes you may have to hang around them for ages to notice what differentiates them.

These are some things that glitter that our minds get drawn to that lead to constant problems in our lives and eventually destruction:

False doctrines tell you what you want to hear but distort the truth by twisting the Word of God slightly. This minor change changes the whole thing from what it is.
A good-looking girl or man you eagerly want to get in a relationship with even though you are not of the same belief.
You consider a man or a woman highly valued because he rarely finds time for you and mistreats you. And that action has tricked your mind into wanting him because people crave things they can’t easily have.
Expensive alcohol that is wrapped in beautiful and elegant artistically crafted bottles.
Ungodly modes of dressing appear fashionable because A-list celebrities wear them.
Some video games encourage murder, theft, and things contrary to God’s commandments.
Movies that portray fornication and adultery as cool things to do.
Social media influencers and socialites have deceived young girls into subliminal prostitution. They have deceived young girls that all they need is a man with money, while in reality, all they need is Jesus.
Cartoons may look funny but are teaching young children evil traits.
Love songs and soap operas influence people that the key to perfect love is found in a specific man or woman. And so people go out there dating one person after the other in search of love, and as a result, they experience countless heartbreaks. If they knew it, they would have focused on Jesus since Jesus is the source of love, the source of true love. Someone said that if Adam had gone looking for a wife, he would have married an animal. Adam did not look for a wife. God brought Adam a wife when he was still in communion with Him.
Food that looks delicious and tastes good but is harmful to your health, which the Bible is against, like pork.
The media portrays gangster life and the use of foul language as cool.
The common and believable lie that any day can be the Sabbath while God ordained the Seventh Day (Saturday) as the Sabbath right from the first week of creation (Genesis 2:1-3).
Worldly educated scientists and billionaires advocate against God, and that one can depend on themselves. If that were true, they would have infinite knowledge, but they keep on studying, meaning they gain more knowledge from others. If that were true, the richest man in the world would have infinite wealth. The fact that sources like the Forbes list can list the wealthiest individuals globally (monetarily) and the amount of money they possess reveals that their wealth is limited because that is countable money. That is finite money. God’s riches are infinite because He has the power to create more resources.

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Notice the wording, “It seems right (not wrong).” Something that seems right may not always be righteous but may closely resemble righteousness.

Samuel was a mighty prophet. He anointed Kings and sought to please God in everything he did. God sent Samuel to anoint a King who will succeed Saul in 1 Samuel 16.

When Samuel saw Eliab, he thought he was chosen by God (1 Samuel 16:6). This is what God said in 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV) – “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

“The Lord’s Word to Samuel was, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” No outward beauty can recommend the soul to God. The wisdom and excellence revealed in the character and deportment, express the true beauty of the man; and it is the inner worth, the excellency of the heart, that determines our acceptance with the Lord of hosts. How deeply should we feel this truth in the judgment of ourselves and others. We may learn from the mistake of Samuel how vain is the estimation that rests on beauty of face or nobility of stature. We may see how incapable is man’s wisdom of understanding the secrets of the heart or of comprehending the counsels of God without special enlightenment from heaven.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 638.1, Ellen G. White.

Despite being one of the most powerful prophets that ever lived, Samuel could not resist the tendency to judge someone from their outward appearance. Samuel considered Eliab the chosen one because he had physical features valued in society. If he had not obeyed God and chosen Eliab, he would have messed up future events intended by God the way Adam and Eve did.

Sin, no matter how small it is, is very dangerous. God might have ordained your success to come at a particular time, but evil will delay it, eventually killing your destiny.

We are limited in wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and discernment because of our sinful nature. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV) – “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

Let us see how the Bible describes Daniel; Daniel 1:4 (KJV) – “Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.”

Daniel and his friends were the best among the Israelites, so they were chosen to work in the King’s palace. Let us back this evidence. Daniel 6:3 (KJV) – “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and the princes because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the entire realm.”

Daniel was found to be the most excellent person during the reign of King Darius. He carried the excellence he had from home to the Kingdom of Babylon and then to the Kingdom of Medo-Persia.

We have seen that Daniel had profound wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and excellence. Having established that, let’s look at Daniel 8:15 (KJV) – “And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.”

We can see that Daniel experienced a vision but failed to understand it. He tried hard to find out the meaning, but he couldn’t. He had to seek divine help. This scenario shows how limited we are as human beings. It shows that we cannot depend on ourselves. We need to depend on God. For that reason, Deuteronomy 8:3 says, “Man doth not live by bread only, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”

The Sabbath Commandment points us to God as the Creator (Exodus 20:11). It points us to God as the Creator to make us realize that we are constantly dependent on Him.

This is the reason you cannot depend on anybody, including yourself:

Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV) – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

The Word of God says that the human heart is deceitful, and only God can know it. The first person the heart deceives is the owner of that heart. Ask yourself, how many times do you think you are right and you are wrong?

Numbers 23:19 (KJV) — “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall he not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” – This means that human beings lie. Human beings lie to one another, and they lie to themselves as well.

It may be challenging to make the perfect choice because sometimes sin is remarkably similar to righteousness. Ask God to instruct you on what is right. Through careful study of God’s Word guided by the Holy Spirit, you will know what He requires of you, and you will be able to differentiate truth from error.

GOD BLESS YOU!

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your wisdom that guides us in truth. Help us not to be deceived by appearances but to seek discernment through Your Word. Guard our hearts against the glitter of the world that leads to destruction. Fill us with Your Spirit so that we may choose righteousness over evil. Teach us to rely on You, for only You see the heart and know the truth. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Activity

Read and Reflect – Get into a small group (can be friends or family or church members) and read Proverbs 23:31-32. Discuss how the verse warns against deception.
Spot the Difference – Take a look at two similar items, one real and one counterfeit (e.g., a real and fake currency note or a genuine and fake product). Ask them to identify the differences and relate it to how the Devil disguises sin.
Bible Discernment Challenge – Write different statements, mixing biblical truths with slightly altered false doctrines. Have each person use their Bibles to determine which ones align with Scripture.
Personal Reflection – Ask each participant to write down one thing in their life that may “glitter but is not gold” (e.g., a habit, influence, or desire). Pray for God’s wisdom to overcome deception.
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Author: Mark Alex

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