Things Aren’t Always What They Seem

I grab a plate and gaze longingly at the table. It’s a smorgasbord, and I’m not talking about the meats, vegetables, and casseroles. Oh, no. I’m talking about dessert. There is some sort of mathematical principle, I’m convinced: the larger the crowd, the greater the need is to get dessert before you sit down to eat. Why, if you waited until you cleaned your plate before you went to the dessert table, you’d be lucky to scrape together some brownie crumbs.

Speaking of brownies, I see some over there to the left. Next to that is the fudge. Then there are some of those chess squares I love. Peach cobbler is next in line. All these choices…all these colors…it’s just beautiful. Hey – what’s that over there? It’s a beat up metal bowl that has obviously seen better days. What’s inside? Well, it’s not a cake. It’s not a pie, either. It looks sort of like a cobbler, but not really. What are those? Apples?

To look at my Great-Great Aunt Ola’s Apple Roll, the untrained eye would see nothing more than a mess. However, to those in our family, this recipe is practically a legend. The cinnamon crunchiness of the roll, the soft sweetness of the apples…it’s an unbeatable combination. Yet, lined up with all the other desserts at the annual family reunion, honestly, it looks sort of shabby.

I’m reminded of James 2. A finely dressed rich man comes to assembly, and he’s given a seat up front. A shabbily dressed poor man comes to the assembly, and he’s left standing. Reading that story, we’re horrified by the prejudice shown. However, it’s a story that’s easier read than practiced. As much as we’re adults, we’re Christians, and we should know better…sometimes we do let the appearance of others prejudice us against them. Like my aunt’s Apple Roll, what’s on the inside is sweeter, and it’s totally worth digging into before making any rash judgments. Sometimes we just don’t know what we’re missing!