BOOK COVERS
The eyeball test isn’t so different than playing Russian roulette, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose when it comes to guessing what’s inside book covers.
I didn’t know I’d judged her, but that’s exactly what I’d done, in a good way, finally. She’s probably in her mid-seventies, tall, medium length, tired auburn hair, done in a bun that she’s probably been sportin’ since the 60’s, dark brown glasses to match.
image courtesy of goingoutwordsandinwords.wordpress.com
My heart and respect went out to her for fighting through her flesh and not giving in. I felt like I knew her without having ever having talked to her in the year or so that I’d been seeing her, but that all changed a few weeks ago.
The handicapped woman called from behind me, “How much longer are you going to be?” in the middle of my set, about half way through my reps, and with a snide snap in her voice.
I’ve been in gyms my entire life and savvy gym etiquette pretty well, I guess she doesn’t. I didn’t stop, I politely answered, “About five more minutes.”
The handicapped gal made as loud a “Huff”! as she could muster to let me and anyone within earshot know how put off she was that the world didn’t find her at the center of it.
* * * * *
I could feel the short elderly lady behind me in the express lane at the grocery store the day before Mother’s Day. I could sense her impatience and her basket nipping at my heels. I struggled to be polite.
I hate it when the express line moves slower than the regular ones, makes me feel like a fool, and it only gets worse when you’re getting bumped and crowded.
My patience meter had just about expired by the time the checkout gal grabbed and scanned the roses and card. “Oh! What beautiful flowers!” the woman fast on my heels managed. It sounded like she was chewing on her tongue. She’d had a stroke.
Although it was difficult to understand her, she asked about my children, even told me I looked too young to have girls that age, all the while her eyes sparkled with love and life.
I’m almost always wrong when it comes to judging book covers.
I think how we see others has a lot to do with how we see ourselves; too often we see ourselves as fine classic literature bound in fine leather and a lot of other folks as paperbacks.
You can tear the front and back book covers off, but that doesn’t change the Words inside… and when our time is done here that’s exactly what happens to all of us.
It’s only God in us that is beautiful… the book covers only fool the fools.
Sunday, May 29, 2016 @ 5:36 pm
Great post, Floyd. So much truth in your statement: I think how we see others has a lot to do with how we see ourselves. Sometimes when we don’t have a good opinion of ourselves, we are tend to blame or criticize of others.
Monday, May 30, 2016 @ 6:53 am
There is such wisdom in this post. I am so guilty of doing the same thing. I find myself pre-judging based on so many outward standards, yet, I never appreciate being pre-judged by others. Thank you for making me think and for helping me to see myself. God help me not to inflict upon others what I never enjoy enduring myself. God bless you for being such a blessing and help to me on my Christian journey.
Monday, May 30, 2016 @ 11:06 am
Such a good post, Floyd. I especially liked how you related two incidents that pointed out the two sides of pre-judging. Sometimes a beautiful book cover hides an *uglier story* – and sometimes a tattered book cover hides a *lovely story*. I think it’s important to realize that we can make mistakes in both directions.
I hate to admit it, but I also am guilty of snap judgments and pre-conceived ideas. Though I’m usually a pretty good judge of character, I’ve been wrong more than once in my assessments. (Imagine that…). Maybe the biggest time I’ve ever been *wrong* was when I first met a neighbor who lived next door to my sons’ rental home here in the mountains. He came storming over because he thought I had run over a squirrel and walked away from it – uncaring and heartlessly. He read me the *riot act* before I had a chance to tell him that it wasn’t me. I made an interior judgment that he was a cranky, mean-spirited, gruff, and rather scary old man. Well, I later became good friends with this gentleman, and found out that he truly has a heart of gold (once we realized that we were both animal lovers!)
I continually pray that my outside matches my inside, and vice versa. For indeed, I want my book to be read by others, and want them to know that the Hero of the story is Jesus.
GOD BLESS!
Monday, May 30, 2016 @ 11:51 am
Great great story. So true!! Nicely done as always!
Monday, May 30, 2016 @ 6:09 pm
I lost my patience waiting at the ATM behind an elderly gentlemen a while back and felt really convicted when I read this because before he left, he mentioned how poorly the morning was going for him and then asked God to bless me and my day. I deserved a spanking. Thanks for your message! I, for one, needed to read it.
Monday, May 30, 2016 @ 6:15 pm
I’ve been fooled by quite a few book covers. You’d think I’d stop judging by them. I wonder how we’d see each other if the covers were torn off…. Thanks for the encouraging words to aim to see as the Lord does.
Monday, May 30, 2016 @ 6:36 pm
Oh so often we make those snap judgments and later discover our error. I remember years ago at a place I worked, there was this ugly man. Once I got to know him, and his humor and great personality, all of a sudden he became handsome. (I was already married with two children – so I wasn’t interested) just saying. The light inside can cause our cover to glimmer and inspire, or depending if we allow the darkness instead of light, our cover can smell pretty bad. I loved the way you contrasted the two women. Even with the effects of a stroke, the last woman was interested in you and not in herself. Thank you for sharing with us here at “Tell me a True Story.” http://letmetelluastory.blogspot.com/
You are an inspiration to me.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016 @ 9:23 am
Another spot on post brother. I can say for a fact my cover is worn and tattered and someday I feel every tear and rip. Thank God He would chose to live in such a frail cover while He write His story in me.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016 @ 1:44 pm
I was picked up for church one morning a while back by a different woman than normal because my normal ride’s car was in the shop. Once we’d arrived at church I asked where she lived (meaning cross streets) and she snapped at me and asked why, as though I were plotting to rob her house or something… I told her I asked because I was curious if she had to go too far out of her way to pick me up and that I was truly thankful for the ride.
She loves me now, and not a sunday goes by that she doesn’t come up and give me a hug now but it sure took her some time to get past her notion that there was something wrong with me lol
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 @ 4:50 pm
I’m a people watcher and I can’t tell you how many times I see a behavior explained in a way that would not be evident to the casual observer. We are so quick to judge. Great post, brother!
Friday, June 3, 2016 @ 9:01 am
This is so true. I’m always the one giving the benefit of the doubt while my wife is disturbingly discerning within a few minutes of meeting a person. Seriously, 9 out of 10 times she’s spot on. Do I listen? Rarely, but maybe I’ll learn one day. 🙂 I know that wasn’t the point of your post, but that’s where my brain went! Ha! Thanks Floyd.
Saturday, June 4, 2016 @ 2:47 pm
Floyd,
I loved your comparison between the two types of book covers: leather and paperback…and really none of us really knows what is inside another person although we can glimpse at times based on how they treat us or others…only God knows each of us fully…. and the mystery is He loves each of us as we each bear His image however marred…blessings to you and your family 🙂