Do you judge on appearances?

[Guest]

 Do you judge on appearances?

Do you judge a book on its cover? The impression could be misleading. To avoid being disappointed, it is better to watch the content. This principle is illustrated by a famous Turkish folklore character: Nasreddin Hodja (hodja means "teacher"). He is "both cunning and naive, wise and crazy [...]. Religious, however, he has human travels. It has been presented as "the invincible victim of the irony of fate". - John Noonan, The Tales of Hodja, Aramco World, September-October 1997.

 

In one of the tales, the Hodja is invited to dine with an Ottoman notable. "Sadly, [Nasreddin] gets off his horse and hits a few shots at the awesome gate. When he comes to open, he notices that the party has already begun. But before he could introduce himself, his host, seeing his clothes soiled by the journey, makes him dryly remark that beggars are not welcome.

 

Nasreddin returns to his luggage and "puts on his best clothes: a beautiful silk dress, adorned with fur, and a monumental silk turban. Thus dressed, he comes knocking at the door.

 

"This time, his host welcomes him with open arms [...] and the servants place delicate dishes in front of him. Nasreddin Hodja then pours a bowl of soup into a pocket of her dress. To the astonishment of the guests, he puts pieces of grilled meat into the folds of his turban, then, in front of his horrified host, passes the fur of his robe in a pilaf dish, murmuring: 'Eat, fur, eat!' '

 

" ' So what do you do ? asks the host.

 

"'My dear,' says Hodja, 'I feed my clothes. Judging by the way you treated me half an hour ago, it is clear that it is they, and not me, who are the object of your hospitality! '"

 

We often judge someone favorably or unfavorably by relying solely on appearance. When Samuel supposed that Eliab, David's brother, was the man God had chosen to become king over Israel, God said to him, "Do not consider his appearance or height of his height, for I have rejected. For God sees not as man sees; it is because man sees what appears to the eyes, but God sees what the heart is worth. "(1 Samuel 16: 7). Indeed, God does not judge the appearance, but the condition of heart. Jesus acted in the same way.

[Matthew9969]

But you better show up at the kingdom hall in your finest suit or dress, if not Jehovah will be very angry with you.

[Guest]

Les Témoins de Jéhovah reçoivent souvent des éloges parce qu’ils « se parent dans une tenue bien arrangée [ou : convenable], avec modestie et bon sens, [...] comme il convient à [ceux] qui déclarent révérer Dieu » (1 Tim. 2:9, 10).

Nous apprécions que Jéhovah ne nous impose pas une longue liste de règles concernant notre habillement et notre aspect. Il nous permet au contraire d’exercer notre libre arbitre et de prendre des décisions raisonnables sur la base des bons principes de la Bible. Ainsi, même par notre habillement et notre aspect, nous montrons que nous voulons « marcher modestement avec [notre] Dieu » (Mika 6:8).