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At our worst Bible in one year: 2 Samuel 23–24 Luke 19:1–27 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, carry with each other in love. Ephesians 4:2 Today's Scriptures & Insight: Ephesians 4:20–32 "She's tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me." This phrase, uttered by Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, is why I will never forget that novel and its impact on me. Because after reading that phrase, I firmly decided that I would never like Lord Darcy. But I was wrong. Like Austen's character, Elizabeth Bennet, I had the humiliating experience of slowly and reluctantly changing my mind. Like her, he had not been willing to know Darcy's character as a whole; I preferred to hold on to my reaction to one of his worst moments. After finishing the novel, I wondered who I had made the same mistake with in the real world. What friendships had I lost because I wouldn't let a quick trial go? At the heart of faith in Jesus is the experience of being seen, loved, and embraced by our Savior, at our worst (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:19). It is the wonder to realize that we can deliver our old and false self for who we truly are in Christ (Ephesians 4:23–24). And it is the joy of understanding that we are no longer alone but part of a family, a "body" of those who learn to walk the "path of love": real and unconditional love (5:2). When we remember what Christ has done for us (v. 2), how can we not fail to see others as He sees us? Reflect & Pray Why do you think sometimes you cling to negative judgments about others? What experiences have you had of "being wrong" with someone? God, it's very difficult, sometimes, to let go of that urge to judge and compare, to resist that need to see myself as better than others. Help me understand, deep in my heart, the truth that I don't need to compete and that I am loved. 
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First impressions can be really strong, both for the good and for the bad. Sometimes it seems, that we find it easier to change our mind away from a good first impression than from a bad one. I'm just so humbly thankful, that although God has seen me at my worst, He still accepts and loves me. How can we not try to show that same love and acceptance to others? Be a prism, spreading God's light and love, not a mirror reflecting the world's hatred.
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The challenge is seeing others through the eyes of God. He wants to redeem us all. Abracadabra 
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