Looks are Deceiving

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11

When the wise men arrived in Jerusalem, they probably expected to see people on the street celebrating the new king's birth. They knew most people in Jerusalem did not accept Herod, the self-proclaimed king of the Jews as a legitimate ruler. However, since they saw no celebration on the streets, they started asking, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?"

Their question got to Herod's palace, where after much deliberation from the Priests, they sent them to Bethlehem in search of the new king. Fortunately, the same star that had guided them to Jerusalem guided them to the house where Jesus was. Otherwise, I am sure it would have taken them much longer to find the legitimate King of the Jews, for I believe they never expected to find Him in a humble home.

I greatly respect these wise men who knelt and worshipped a baby, not in a crib made out of gold or surrounded by nannies. These wise men presented the gifts that only a King deserves to a baby in the arms of the wife of a humble carpenter. They saw beyond the humble surroundings and had the privilege of honoring the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the way He deserves to be honored.

My friends, I experienced one of the most powerful manifestations of the glory of God in a small church in the middle of nowhere in India. Instead of drums, they had pots. Instead of seats, they have floor mats, and no one cared that there was no air conditioner. The congregation worshipped with all their hearts, and heaven came to earth, bringing healing miracles the entire time we worshipped.

It is nice to worship in beautiful cathedrals. To have professional singers using incredible sound systems and lights is a joy, but I hope we do not make the mistake of only looking for Jesus in comfortable places. Looks are deceiving, my dear friends. Sometimes we find God in places we do not expect and hear the echo of His voice coming from people we do not know.

If the Spirit of God leads you to worship in a place you never expected or to serve people who scare you a little, go past their exterior look. Follow God's presence, and do not be deceived by how people or places look. God might be guiding you toward the biggest privilege of your life.