Over the last few years I’ve become one of “them.” You know, the people at your local grocery store who stop every few moments and read the labels on food they pick up.. Over time, I’ve also learned the benefit and necessity of reading the fine print.

Everything that glitters isn’t gold. God told Samuel in the book of 1 Samuel 16:7:

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Whether it’s the shopping mall, grocery store or sporting event, advertisements use a array of techniques to catch consumers eye. Bright colored labels or catchy phrases and tag lines all to lure and captivate (hold captive) it’s buyer. Advertisement and marketing companies have mastered this craft.

Whenever you go down a food aisle the first thing that jumps out is the front of a package/product. Words like “Fat Free”, “Zero Sugars,” or “Organic” makes one feel they are getting their monies worth. It’s appealing. I mean, we’ll pay a little extra if it says it’s zero sugars. That means it must be good for me….right?

Until you turn the package around..

That sugar free item really has other artificial sweetners in it, but the chemical makeup of the “sugars” are different..How convenient to list what’s really in the product, on the back.. Companies know most of the time, people are looking at the bells and whistles on the front, while in plain sight, they tell the truth in black and white on the back. Is it not human nature to judge by outer appearance?

Samuel saw one of Jesse’s sons and knew for certain he was who God had chosen, but on the contrary, God had rejected him.. God saw something Samuel could not see or discern… the posture of his heart. If Samuel would have read the fine print in the back he would have saw the toxic ingredients. Instead a young forgotten shepherd boy was a man after God’s own heart. The enemy has been using crafteness from the beginning through the lust of the eyes. He’s a master at marketing and advertisement. Eve saw the fruit on the tree was good for food, and pleasing to the eye, but she didn’t see the fine print on the back on what would happen when she disobeyed God.

Things may come packaged a certain way, and at times it can be more than what meets the eye. God is gracious to give us His Spirit to discern what the physical eyes cannot see.