So it is with us. We are so apt to judge people by the outside look of them. It is one of the pathetic facts in life, that pretty children, and beautiful girls, and handsome boys, get most love from the world around them. And yet their souls inside may not be nearly so beautiful as plain featured children. A crooked body may contain a lovely soul. A lovely body may contain a crooked and distorted soul. Outside and inside—how different they may be. Our verse says:
"Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
I want you to sit still for a few minutes and think about this. You have your outside, and your inside. Your body and your soul. Your body is simply a case for your soul, to be the means of moving and thinking and talking and acting as your soul desires. I am not going to confuse you by talking about your mind, or intellect, or spirit. We are composed of soul and body. Our souls are the only part of us that matters, for they can never die; our body may wear out, and die, drop away from us like an old garment, but our souls live on. They are the living part of us that God loves and guards, that He sent His only Son to die for, because He wanted them in Heaven above.
A great many people care for your body. Your parents rightly try to keep it in health. They send for a doctor if your body is hurt or ill. They feed it, and buy clothes for it. Nearly all the shops in a big town are selling things for your body. It needs a lot of things to keep it well. Food and drink, fires in winter, a soft bed at night for its rest and refreshment. Shelter from storm, shade from great heat.
Some of us take the greatest care of our bodies, but never, never think of the welfare of our souls. Now in these little chats with you, I want to get at your souls, to the inside thinking, loving part of you, to the bit of you that ought to be touching God and living with Him, whilst your bodies are running about and enjoying this beautiful earth.
God thinks most about your souls, or hearts, as they are often called in the Bible.
What kind of a soul have you?
You are taught to take care of your body, to feed it, to clothe it, not to do things which might hurt it. Your parents want your body to grow bigger and stronger every year.
Is your soul growing bigger and stronger too?
Are you feeding it? Does it get hurt or damaged?