Judging By Appearances

Dave, Megan, and Shannon
Megan is the baby they were carrying in to church in the story below.

When Derek and I first moved to Payson, I can remember thinking that it would be really nice to have a friend.  Derek is a great friend, but he has to go to work all day, and can't talk to me anytime I want.  One of the first weeks we attended church we sat towards the back of the chapel.  I watched my neighbors walk in. They were a beautiful family, with two children plus a new baby.  The Mom was wearing a pretty dress, had her hair was done really nice, and her makeup looked perfect, and I thought "I would never have anything in common with her!"  I've had beautiful friends before, so I'm not sure why that thought popped up.  Thankfully, we were both called to work in Primary on the music, and we quickly became friends. 

It is too easy to look at how someone is different from us in appearance and, in a stroke of foolishness, decide that because they are pretty, or ugly, or tall, or short, or in a wheelchair, or any number of other things, we probably wouldn't have anything in common with them -- and so we fail to really find out.  When we do this, we might be missing getting to know someone who would have really blessed our lives.

The friend that I foolishly thought I would have nothing in common with is my good friend Shannon.  She has saved the day for me on so many occasions that I can't even count them.  She has been fun, and kind, and compassionate.  We have a lot in common.  I shudder to think of all that I would have missed had I been allowed to follow my first thought.  Heavenly Father does not judge by appearances, but by what is in the heart, and I do not know of a more kind way that He could have reminded me that I should do the same.