What you see is ...

The saying is, "What you see is what you get" but I really do not think that is so. What you see is what you precieve many times. There is so much about people that you can not "SEE" but we are such visual creatures that we rely on our eyes and then base things on the first "seen" impression. Think of being predjudice. The color of someone's skin is a very visable trait. I understand that we are also religiously predjudice but can you tell by looking at me that I attend a methodist church? Only if I am wearing something that is indicactive of my faith that someone sees my faith if they were to meet me on the street. Is what you "see" so important that is should rule over what you feel or know about someone? I find it funny that this picture is actually titled, "Beth with a bag over her head" seriously. Check out Google and search bag over head and you will find it.

There are online dating services that are putting people together by a picture and a profile. Does someone read the profile first or look at the picture before they decide to meet that man or woman? The sites say you are more likely to have more "hits" if you have a picture but is it really that important when you are talking to someone miles away, making friends through technology? Why do we base so much value on looks - stupid question, there are industries that make millions based on peoples looks.

Do you think Jesus would have ask Mary Magdalene or any of the disciples for a picture before he invested his friendship in them? "No, sorry, do not think you should follow me. You are not the type I am visually attracted to." Can hear Him saying that? Did the lepers give him a picture of what the used to look like before he would heal them? "Nay, you didn't look good before might as well stay a leper people will shy away from" Nor do I think he would ask them for a picture so he could know who he was ministering to behind the veil. He just did, freely without concern for their physical attributes or visual appearance. Faith of the heart.

People can be behind many types of veils. Maybe they want to be know for who they are on the inside not for what they look like. Maybe knowing physical appearance is such a determining factor to many people that they do not want to play that game. For that same reason they do not buy the fashion magazines and buy into the concept of the Beautiful People being the only ones worth love and friendship. Maybe they don't have pictures of themselves because they are always behind the camera taking pictures of everyone else; just as they are always the ones taking care of those same people in front of the camera. Or maybe it is simply to hard to go through and find pictures of themselves to share because the photographs were at one time such a precious record of a time and people in their life that are no longer and it is painful. To look at pictures of happy smiling people and wonder where is the lie? In the smile or the absence.

If Momma is always right, then isn's she right when saying it is what is on the inside that counts? Jesus thought so. Mom and Jesus are pretty smart people to listen to and follow.