Can books be like people

I love to read children's books, in fact I have collected them since before well.... I think I was in college. Yikes that's like umph teen years ago, well it all started with seeing the pretty covers in the hard covers.I do not like those flimsy little paperback cheapo books, but the nice good smelling hard covers with the nice protector thing on it. Anyways, I have had a love of children's books for awhile as stated and then once I joined the Mom club that gave me exclusive benefits to buy books for my kids (secretly for me too).

I rationalized it if it were pricey though because I did go to school to be a teacher so I'm sure I could use that in my classroom someday. Excuse, excuse, whatever makes you not feel guilty. Then it hit me, my children love books, it doesn't matter if they are the most popular book, the best looking book, flimsy paperback book, boardbook, itty bitty book, or even our favorite bath books, they just want to read them, not smell them as I did. Can't help but think there is a lesson in all of this.... In 1 Samuel 16:7 We see that "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at", Phew that is good as I really liked those cutsie put together books they sell at barnes n noble.. even if they weren't a quality book, they looked good from the outside, so in my head it's gotta be a good thing right? Wrong, I may be going a little deep here but I really think I have in the past I used my book mentality with people. You know trying to make friendships work with the people who look like they have it all together on the outside, yet may be a shallow and insecure on the inside.

Thank goodness the verse in goes on to say in 16:3, "Man" That's me here. "looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart". I love the word but here. We do this but God does this.. when it comes down to it .. we are not God. But when we see people through God's eyes, we are not focusing on all the outward junk in their life, just that they are a child of God and they too deserve to be loved. I know when I really see friends, acquaintances for who they really are, it changes everything. I then see clearly they don't have to be the perfect little Caldecott book with the clean glossy cover on it and I too can don't have to feel pressure to be that perfect person too.

As a young mother of two, I have learned that I love the flimsy little books, in fact they are now my favorite because we read them, we actually use them and we can mark them up and not worry because of the price tag or the pedestal I have put on it. In my world these books have sadly been people for me over the years, but with God's help I have a whole collection of books and people to love and adore. I like the balance of it all, and maybe another bookshelf!