You were created to be...

 But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at how handsome or how tall Eliab is. I have not chosen him. The Lord does not look at people in the way that people do. People look at the face and body of a person. But the Lord sees what they are like inside.’ (I Samuel 16:7 EASY)

If you have tried to be a people-pleaser at any point in your life, you know just how difficult it is to always be who they say you should be, do what they say you should do, and find direction is whatever it is they say they find direction in. People look at us and 'see' an image of what they believe us to be, but they also project upon us what they expect us to be based on some 'image' they have of what we should be. Their standard isn't always that easy to measure up to, is it? They project an image that won't make us comfortable if we conform to it. It isn't what God made us to be - the way he sees us matters and we must never lose sight of the 'image' he created when he created us.

It took me a lot of years to realize God looks at us differently than others do - he sees something in us that is uniquely us - to be untrue to that image is to say God created us 'wrong' or 'flawed'. People have been projecting their beliefs about who we are and what we should be since the beginning of time. It hasn't served them well, though. Sin entered in and that 'image' became flawed by sin - not because God somehow made us imperfect. God sees what he created - a child in HIS image - one he loves beyond measure. Trying to change us into anything other than what God created is kind of senseless because deep down inside, we will always be who and what he created us to be.

People judge based on what is portrayed externally - they rarely look at the inner qualities. They are drawn to us by what they see and hear. If that is God coming through in our actions and attitudes, then the 'image' they see is much better than the one they'd see if we were always trying to please people. Focus on what God sees, and you begin to see a totally different 'side' to people. Some will be quite genuine, with what you see being very close to who they really are. Others will put on airs, living behind some mask that somehow makes them feel more 'secure' with their portrayed image. It is hard to get to know someone who is always trying to present the 'good' front or 'brave' mask. If we try to conform to what others think we should be, we will always be changing masks!

Focus on God first in all things and stop worrying about how others 'see' you. The one who sees all of us isn't impressed with the 'front' we put forth anyway. He knows our heart, mind, body, and soul - there is nothing hidden from his view. Please God above all others and you will find others are drawn to what they see in you - even when they don't understand exactly what that is. Just sayin!