Seeing After the Flesh—NO LONGER

2 Corinthians 5:16

4/2024

A couple of us were remembering how one “adorable” little child decades ago used to have extreme allergic reactions to mosquito bites. One little bite and her face would swell up into proportions that could make her face physically unrecognizable even to those who knew her. She looked a little like “elephant man.” (Someone from the 1800s who at the age of ~5 started developing physical deformities)

So here is a question to ask yourself: When that happened… did GOD see this little girl differently AT ALL? Did who she was change one iota in God’s sight?

You know the answer (in fact, even an unBelieving person could GUESS the answer because it is so obvious!) NO. In God’s eyes, she did not change. So, since how someone looks has NO BEARING on God’s mind and heart, shouldn’t we have the same view, ALWAYS? Absolutely. We better! And we better not make any excuses for viewing others with such flesh glasses.

Does that help you see HOW STUPID AND SHALLOW it is to “admire flesh” or be “drawn” to it or judge it — rather than look at the heart!

What if that was your child? What if that was you? Would it matter?

If the very oracles of God are on someone’s lips and His beautiful Spirit is living in their heart, isn’t that all that matters? Is that what you find truly attractive and beautiful? Who WILL you be and who will you teach the children to be?

Let’s review some facts… because Truth is not about what you feel and not about how little ole you think.

Jesus Only Cares About the Heart

There's no way Jesus went around “enjoying” people’s physical appearances, thinking certain people were physically “pretty” or “attractive” compared to others. No way.

The reason Jesus didn’t and doesn’t notice/care/think about/compare/take seriously so-called “cuteness” or “beauty” is BECAUSE He ONLY CARES about the heart. The heart is all He sees. So, look for beautiful hearts and train the eyes of your heart to only care about a person‘s spirit vs be attracted by or impressed by stupid stuff.

So, if we want to be like Jesus, this is pretty Simple, isn’t it? Don't care about what God doesn't care about, unless you want to be a fool with no oil.

Fleshly “Beauty” Is Cultural Arbitrary Opinion

Beauty is relative because your view of something is different than others’ view of the same exact thing. Satan and this present age start indoctrinating humans on the day they are born trying to drawwwww people into seeing men after mere flesh. We must not fall for this trap of the devil.

GOD didn’t create beauty as YOU see it. Instead, He made it possible to BE beautiful as HE Sees beauty—the HEART. Anything else is just an intentional distraction to shallow flesh creatures. So don’t ever be impressed or care about external appearances. See the heart and ignore the husk. To be attracted to or evaluate the husk is stupid and unspiritual.

Fleshly “Beauty” Is Fleeting

Temporal and temporary world things that win our hearts and cause us to be attracted and make decisions are idols.

You do realize that even in THIS life most young people end up looking fat and wrinkled in a very short amount of time. What a foolish and shallow way to view people! People are born with their appearance genes either “matching” or “not matching” the current arbitrary “attractive” or “not-attractive” culture around them… or more often than not, they are fakes with their make-up and vanity as they run around seeking to “match” the current cultural fads or styles or looks of the day.

But why should YOU care when GOD doesn’t care? You shouldn’t.

It’s Not Your Business

Wandering around the planet admiring people’s appearances is so vile. What someone else looks like is none of your business. That person doesn’t belong to you. If Jesus was married he might have enjoyed just the way God created his wife, but he certainly did not go around enjoying other people’s appearances. That’s disgusting.

It’s Harmful to Others

When you let your mind and eyes rove around in the flesh, your looks at others and your interest in their stupid molecules will only destroy them if they pick up on it. You’ll ignite foolish pride if they think you “approve” or “despair/shame” if they can’t measure up (match up) to your scrutiny. How awful! The world we live in is a SPIRITUAL one. Your gaping, gazing, grazing flesh will ignite foolish pride or despair or ___ as you impart your flesh view of life to others around you. What a despicable shame. Please. Don’t.

UnGoverned thoughts and stray comments on appearances is not helpful. Of course that is not to say that you shouldn’t notice when someone looks ill, or tired, or unwell in some way. But, do you think foolish stray comments like “Oh, you look so tired. You poor thing,” or “I like your shoes,” or your attention-drawing smirky/comedic comments about someone’s clothes or size or _____ — Do you think that helps anyone? No! All you are doing with foolish stray comments is leading that person into self-awareness. “Temptation will come but woe to him through whom it comes” (Matt. 18:7). CUT IT OUT.

I was out in public the other day and saw an elderly woman dressed inappropriately. While I could have made a case “spiritually” for why her clothing was a wrong choice and not pleasing to God, I was the one very convicted when I thought about her later that day. Because I realized I saw her after the flesh. I didn’t look in her eyes and care about her soul. So I was of no help to her soul whatsoever. I did her harm, not benefit. That is completely unacceptable as a follower of Jesus.

Stop Believing Your 3 Pounds of Goo

Your brain is like a 3-pound kitty cat that needs trained. Are you going to keep letting it call all the shots and pee all over you… or are you going to teach it to pee over in its box?

And we are not talking about training your brain in some xy method. No. For example, Jesus didn’t notice that someone looked nice and then remind Himself, “It’s only molecules. It doesn’t matter. It’s only cultural.”

Regarding appearances, food, stuff of earth, the correct response is not “it’s just a gnat.. it’s just a gnat. It’s just molecules… it’s just molecules!!” No. That would be “dodging bullets.”

And you don’t have to dodge bullets if you SEE the world through Jesus’ eyes.

And what does He see? He ONLY sees the heart. He did not walk around enjoying or judging people’s appearances. He did NOT and does NOT even NOTICE that someone looks nice. Because He doesn’t care. Now THAT is watching the bullets stop in mid-air and fall to the ground. That is Zoe Life. Can we agree to move THAT direction!?

God is very indifferent towards stuff of earth. He doesn’t hate it. He doesn’t love it. He’s just indifferent. So, just brush this stuff off. “It’s just molecules” and move on. Not crushing. Just brushing.

So now that we have covered all that, let’s say again: HOW STUPID AND SHALLOW to “admire flesh” or be “drawn” to it or “judge” it— rather than look at the heart!

a quote from 1995...

Life is primarily spiritual in nature, and what is transmitted in the spirit, “IMPARTED” in the unseen realm, is actually more potent to your growth or destruction than simply what you want to receive or reject with your mind. What you allow into your ear gate and eye gate, and particularly who you allow yourself to respect (business heroes, heroes of art or literature, heroes of sports, heroes of silver screen, heroes of family members) in ANY way that is not solely related to their contribution to the Work of God and the Character and Kingship of Jesus—is allowing a dangerous impartation into your heart and life....So do not give away your affections to the funny, handsome, competent guy at work if he is a child of the devil, unsaved. Do NOT “ooh and ahh” at the athletic prowess of an individual if they are still unregenerate. They still belong to the “god of this age” until they are washed in the blood of the Lamb and born a second time. “Only God is good!” Do not drool over the word-crafting skills of an unbelieving author, or the musical talent of an artist that is still the offspring of the enemy of Jesus until they are saved from having crucified the Lord of Glory. See it correctly! Do not give away anything that belongs solely to our Betrothed One! We must see those that are still unsaved as God does, with maggots in the eye sockets, vipers coming out of the ears, scorpions coming out of the mouth…so it is with all who have not called on the Name of the Lord for the forgiveness of sins. How could we be attracted to such as these, unless we were “seeing men after the flesh”?

Later….

What about enjoying your photos of loved ones or little children?

It's the same answer: Look at their hearts and envision their futures and double down on your commitment to helping them be who Jesus wants them to be. Don't drool or linger in some emotional nonsense. Of course we can all recognize a goofy action or cute smile without lingering looking at the glass.

•  Mirror, Mirror on the Wall