Some Pictures DO Lie

We have two wedding pictures which don't actually show what it looks like they show.  

The first is the obligatory cake eating picture.  This is not one taken by the photographer, but was snapped by a relative at the same time from a different angle.  

At the time of our wedding, I had a bad burn on my right index finger, so when I fed Glen his piece of cake, I didn't use that finger to hold the cake.  Instead I held my sore finger out straight to avoid bending it.  The resulting picture from the family member's angle looks as if I am trying to feed Glen the cake and scratch his nose simultaneously.  I am absolutely certain this wasn't the case, but you wouldn't be sure of it just looking at the picture.

The second was the picture when the garter was thrown.  You can see the groomsman who

actually is catching the garter, but another, shorter gentleman is beside him, also reaching for it.  The picture gives the impression he is holding the groomsman's arm up to help him catch the garter.  Knowing both men, I also know this was not the case, they would have been in fierce competition for the little piece of lace and ribbon.

These pictures, taken 34 years ago, long before the days of digital photography, show that even then you couldn't trust what you see.  In these days, it is especially true, you should never trust a photograph!

The Bible calls us to be just as careful about other appearances as well.

"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."  John 7:24

As Christians, we are called to have discernment, to utilize that quickening power of the Holy Spirit to discern between the spirit and the flesh, between truth and error.  Not everything that appears to be of the Spirit is of the Spirit.  Not every thing that calls itself of God is of God.  Not everything that is named Holy is of the Holy Spirit.  

In the  book of James the Bible says that if "any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given Him," (James 1:5.)  Lacking wisdom is no excuse since the Lord is more than willing to give to all, all we must do is ask.

We must be sure that we balance all our judgments not only by how we feel about things, our experience of them, but also by what the Word of God has said.  The Lord will never lead us to do something apart from or against what He has already directed in His Word.  Our judgments must be righteous, or in accordance with God's character, nature and Word.  

"The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: 

the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether."

Psalm 19:9