Beyond the Cover
A Book that May Surprise You
Zachary Vincent
Issue date: 2/25/10 Section: Opinion
A tattered old book lies untouched on the bookshelf and collects dust on its cover. No one has bothered to look at the treasure within the confines of the front and back cover. What could be the reason for such negligence?
Whether we like it or not, we tend to judge a book by its cover. The old cliche that we caution against finds its way creeping into our daily lives despite our vigilance. We tend to look at a book and base our perceptions upon only a first glance rather than exploration.
While we could argue the way we judge a piece of literature, we may also argue that we judge people by the same standards that we judge a simple story. We tend to base our knowledge of people on their appearance, stature, and outward characteristics.
While we can gain some information regarding people's attributes, we only get a partial picture into people's lives. Sometimes we feel betrayed when we find out what's beyond the cover, and yet other times we miss the full potential beneath the facade.
I know a young man who has grown up surrounded by individuals who looked at the cover rather than the pages beneath. He has had to fight back a pretense of belief cultivated by the lack of investigation on a deeper level.
When this man achieved something that no one thought possible--based on his appearances--people were amazed. This young man has been rejected many times based solely upon the first perceptions of what he could do.
Sadly, the majority of this young man's rejection, ignorance, and dare I say judgment, happened inside the church rather than outside. The people who were supposed to find the potential within this man almost missed it completely.
This young man's experience in church has been one of the cornerstones of his life, but it has also been one of his greatest trials. This young man, of course, is I.
I will treasure each day I spend in church; not because of the good times I've had, but because of the hardships, the trials I've overcome, and the preconceptions that people who choose not to look beyond the surface have thrust upon me. This has not only compelled me to work hard to achieve my goals and to rely on God for peace, but it has also prepared me to better minister to people in my life.
Whether we like it or not, we tend to judge a book by its cover. The old cliche that we caution against finds its way creeping into our daily lives despite our vigilance. We tend to look at a book and base our perceptions upon only a first glance rather than exploration.
While we could argue the way we judge a piece of literature, we may also argue that we judge people by the same standards that we judge a simple story. We tend to base our knowledge of people on their appearance, stature, and outward characteristics.
While we can gain some information regarding people's attributes, we only get a partial picture into people's lives. Sometimes we feel betrayed when we find out what's beyond the cover, and yet other times we miss the full potential beneath the facade.
I know a young man who has grown up surrounded by individuals who looked at the cover rather than the pages beneath. He has had to fight back a pretense of belief cultivated by the lack of investigation on a deeper level.
When this man achieved something that no one thought possible--based on his appearances--people were amazed. This young man has been rejected many times based solely upon the first perceptions of what he could do.
Sadly, the majority of this young man's rejection, ignorance, and dare I say judgment, happened inside the church rather than outside. The people who were supposed to find the potential within this man almost missed it completely.
This young man's experience in church has been one of the cornerstones of his life, but it has also been one of his greatest trials. This young man, of course, is I.
I will treasure each day I spend in church; not because of the good times I've had, but because of the hardships, the trials I've overcome, and the preconceptions that people who choose not to look beyond the surface have thrust upon me. This has not only compelled me to work hard to achieve my goals and to rely on God for peace, but it has also prepared me to better minister to people in my life.
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