Appearances Can Be Deceiving

“I saw Philip come out of this restaurant with Arthur’s wife. He drove her to her house, it was dark, they both went in and stayed there. Obviously, Arthur wasn’t home. Looks like adultery might be involved . . .”

“Just a minute. Maybe so, but don’t jump to any conclusions. Things aren’t always what they seem to be. Remember the case of Hannah in the Bible, first chapter of First Samuel.”

THE STORY OF HANNAH

Hannah is making this vow to Jehovah God, but in her heart, not audibly:

“If you will . . . give your slave girl a male offspring, I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life.”

High Priest Eli, seeing her mouth quivering but hearing no words, “took her for drunk.”

“How long will you behave drunk? Put away your wine from upon you.”

“No, my lord! A woman hard pressed in spirit I am; and wine and intoxicating liquor I have not drunk, but I pour out my soul before Jehovah.”

“Do not make your slave girl like a good-for-nothing woman, for it is out of the abundance of my concern and my vexation that I have spoken until now.”

High Priest Eli judged by the outward appearance, was wrong, and had to reverse himself.

“Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”

THE NEXT DAY

“Whew! I’m so glad I talked to you before I made any accusations! I checked and found out that her husband had been injured in an accident at work. Philip had taken her to see him at the hospital. Afterward they grabbed a bite at the restaurant. Then Philip took her home and he went in to get some of Arthur’s personal things and took them back to him in the hospital.”

“The Bible has many lessons for us today. As we discussed yesterday, Eli judged by the outward appearance and was wrong. Years later, the babe that Hannah gave birth to and presented for Jehovah’s service, called Samuel, also looked on the outward appearance. Jehovah corrected him, saying: ‘I do not judge as man judges. Man looks at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16:6, 7, “Today’s English Version”) So we don’t want to repeat Eli’s mistake and judge our brothers by outward appearances. These can be deceiving.”