God cares about who we really are, not what we look like to the world

A fine show, but was it from the heart? PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Words are fine but meaning matters, Sarah Auld writes.

In today’s culture so much is just for show, so much looks real but really isn’t.

Meanwhile many of us are crying out for the real deal. We tire of fake news, AI-derived images and stories, and staged social media posts. We want genuine connection, true stories and sincere perspectives.

In the midst of so much that is superficial, it is great to see that repeatedly the scriptures show us that God really cares about the true story; the actual state of affairs. He cares about who we really are and what our heart is really like, not just what we look like to the world around us.

The Bible shows us that God is angered by hypocrisy and attention-seeking and values a genuine heart. In both testaments of the Bible, God calls for sincere actions, genuine love and honest words.

In the book of Isaiah, God is infuriated by how His people go through the motions of fasting and praying to Him while continually dishonouring Him with the way they are living. The passage says ‘‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it.’’

‘‘I will tell you why!’’ [God responds]. ‘‘It’s because even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarrelling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with Me.’’ (Isaiah 58 verses 3-4).

God doesn’t care how fancy or holy our words sound if the life we are leading is selfish and takes advantage of the people around us. More than anything, God cares about the person we are and the state of our heart.

In the above passage God goes on to say ‘‘This is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you ... Share your food with the hungry and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them,’’ (Isaiah 58 verses 6-7).

This scripture reminds us that God is all about being real and genuine, and that He cares nothing for empty religion or token gestures.

Our God knows people. He truly knows us and cares more than anything about what is really in our hearts. He doesn’t appreciate showy prayers, fancy theological knowledge or public displays of generosity.

He cares about humble service, about sincere conversations and about honesty.

Sincerity and integrity are primary to God. He doesn’t care if our lives look impressive or not, if our prayers are long or short, or if we are in fancy clothes or old rags.

All God cares about is the state of our heart — if we are loving genuinely and selflessly, if we are being honest with ourselves and others, and if we are kind and generous. That matters so much to God that it is frequently repeated in the bible.

Throughout the Old Testament, God calls nations to return to sincere honouring of Him because He sees their superficial, empty gestures that show their hearts are far from Him.

In the New Testament, Jesus openly rebukes the Pharisees (religious leaders of the time) for their showy prayers and attention-seeking acts of generosity while constantly being unjust to the people.

He condemns all acts that seek out the praise of others and He honours those who quietly and sincerely live a life of love and integrity.

When we give, serve and love in ways that no-one else knows about, that is a beautiful thing. That is what God values and calls us to — like the people who work among those in poverty or care for elderly parents or help those struggling with addictions. People serving in these challenging situations, unseen by cameras or the general public, are there because of selfless love, not because of any desire for glory or praise.

Compare this to the YouTuber filming himself giving an expensive phone or high-tech sports shoes to a homeless person and it is clear that the motivation for these actions are quite different.

In many little ways, every day, we can choose to live with the sincerity God calls us to.

In our world, where we can so easily be caught up with the outward trappings of success, I love that our God cares nothing for that and everything for the state of our heart.

Because, of course, our God knows that only a healthy state of our heart can bring true fulfilment, joy and freedom, and this is what God wants for us all.