When the Optics Don't Rhyme

There are those moments in life when how things look doesn’t line up with what God has said. The picture doesn’t match the promise. The optics just don’t rhyme. Jesus called Simon “Peter”—the rock. But at the time, Simon was anything but solid. He was impulsive, emotional, and afraid—quick to draw a sword one moment and deny Jesus the next. He was unstable, more like a reed blown by the wind than a rock holding firm. And yet, Jesus didn’t name him based on his present condition, but his future calling. He saw what was buried beneath the surface and called it out before anyone else could see it. That’s what God does. He speaks purpose into people still buried in process.

We often forget this because the world we live in values optics. Everything is about appearance—how it looks, how it lands, how it’s perceived. We edit, filter, and package our stories so they’ll appear presentable. But God doesn’t operate like that. He’s not swayed by appearances. He doesn’t choose based on what’s seen, but on what’s hidden and waiting to be revealed. And only Him can reveal it. When God sent Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel, Jesse brought out his strongest sons—tall, accomplished, impressive. They looked the part. But the oil didn’t flow. God had to remind Samuel, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). The one God had chosen—David, the one not even invited into the lineup—was still out in the field, unseen and overlooked. The optics didn’t match the anointing, but God’s hand was on him all the same. This is a theme woven throughout Scripture: God chooses the unexpected. He calls the unqualified. He lifts the lowly. When the optics say “unworthy,” God speaks “beloved.” When the optics say “forgotten,” God whispers “chosen.”

He found Gideon hiding in a winepress and called him a “mighty man of valor” even though the optics screamed cowardice. (Judges 6:12). He met the woman at the well in her shame and turned her into the first evangelist of her village (John 4). He saw Zacchaeus in a tree and called him down—not to shame him, but to stay with him. And He healed the bleeding woman not before, but while she was still considered unclean. God keeps showing up in the places no one expects. Because He isn’t waiting for us to get to the top. He meets us at the bottom. That’s what David declared in Psalm 139: “If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” The pit doesn’t scare Him. Jonah ran and sank to the bottom of the sea, but God prepared a fish, not as punishment—but as rescue (Jonah 2). That’s what grace looks like when the optics are messy. The dirt doesn’t offend Him. In fact, it’s His material of choice. He made man from dust. When Jesus healed the blind man in John 9, He used mud. Grace isn’t always clean—it’s transformative. Miracles don’t always start with majesty; sometimes they begin with a mess. So if you feel like your life doesn’t line up with what God has said—if your story is still unfolding and the optics are all wrong—remember: God’s promises are not derailed by your process. His plans are not delayed by your appearance. He’s not afraid of the brokenness you try to hide. He sees past the optics to the outcome He’s already written.

He’s not asking you to be clean before you reach for Him. Like the woman with the issue of blood, you can reach while bleeding. Like the Samaritan left on the side of the road, you don’t need to find Him—He will come find you. That’s who He is. A God who kneels. A God who sees. A God who lifts. And He’s lifting you now. So don’t despise the bottom. It’s often where God begins His greatest work. Don’t fear the dirt—it’s where His fingerprints are most visible. And don’t be discouraged when the optics don’t rhyme. Grace is still writing the poem.

You are not what people see. You are what God has spoken. And His word never fails. You are still the one He pursues. The one He fights for. The one He lifts from the bottom and places on a rock—even when you feel like a reed. Just let Him meet you where you are now.

Bible Readings
Monday – 1 Samuel 16:1–13
Tuesday – Judges 6:11–27
Wednesday – Genesis 16:1–16
Thursday – Luke 19:1–10
Friday – Mark 5:25–34
Saturday – Psalm 139