27 Mar - Scratch The Surface - There's More Than Meets The Eye
- Dayle Kinney
- Mar 27
- 2 min read
Have you ever made a snap judgment, only to find out later you were way off?
Over the years, I’ve learned that if you really want to know the truth—about people, situations, or even yourself—you have to dig deeper. Face value can only take you so far. What we see with our natural eyes is often just the surface. And the surface can be deceiving.
Especially with people.
We meet someone and can instantly form an opinion. We hear a comment, see a social media post, or notice a look—and boom, our brains fill in the blanks. We think we know. But often, we don’t. Not really.
Our minds are wired to confirm what we already believe. It’s called confirmation bias, and it can cause us to misread, misjudge, and misunderstand. We build stories around someone’s words or actions, but we miss their heart.
That’s why I’ve learned to pause. To listen longer. To ask better questions. To go beyond the first impression and look for the truth behind the mask. Behind the social media, news and narratives. Because the truth is—everyone has layers. Everyone has a story. And if we’d just scratch the surface, we'll see truth about situations and about who people really are and we might discover beauty where we least expect it.
An old saying says it well - "Presumption is the mother of all stuff-ups."
David in the Bible is such a powerful example. When the prophet Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel, David wasn’t even invited into the room. His own family didn’t think he was worth considering. Just a young shepherd boy. But God saw differently. And so did Samuel—because he was listening for God’s voice, not just looking with human eyes.
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height... The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”—1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
David's story reminds us to look deeper— and not just at others, but even at ourselves.
So today, here’s my encouragement to you:
Don’t presume. Pause.
Don’t just glance—gaze.
Don’t write someone off before you’ve had the chance to listen for their story. Seek the truth.
If you’re willing to dig a little deeper, you might just find treasure hidden beneath the surface.
“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.”—Proverbs 20:5 (NIV)
Prayer: Lord please help me not to rush to judgment. Teach me to slow down, to listen, and to see with Your eyes. Show me what’s beneath the surface—not just in others, but in my own heart too. Break off assumptions, biases, and fears that cloud my vision and let me be someone who draws others out, who seeks truth over comfort, and who sees people and situations the way You do. Thank You for looking beyond my flaws and failures, and loving me anyway. Please help me do the same for others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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