Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXXXI

I've heard it said that "all people are created equal, but some are more equal than others."  I guess it all depends on the perspective of the beholder. Do you view everyone as equals, with no regards to wealth, skin color, education, or family background? Do you ever wonder how you are viewed by others? I've seen studies that show where good-looking people have a better shot in life than than their less beautiful counterparts, as unfair as that may seem. If you're completely honest with yourself, do you have to admit that you act more favorably toward the more attractive, better dressed, maybe even younger members of society, especially those of the opposite sex? As I write this, I'm sitting in the busy waiting room of a doctor's office, and I have to admit that I tend to look more often and longer at the better dressed, more attractive visitors who come through here, but as I observe the the entire room, I notice that the majority of the people in here are just as guilty as I am. And to take it one step further, there's a game show on their television, and I find myself pulling for the better looking contestants. Am I, and the rest of the patrons in this waiting room, being totally unfair? What if the "beautiful people" put forth more effort on their appearance than the others? Doesn't that effort earn them a little more recognition? Does the person who jumped out of bed this morning at the last minute and threw on her clothes with no consideration as to how she looks have a right to be jealous of the attention being paid to the one who got up early enough to spend some time on her appearance?  What about the doctors who work in this office?  Don't they deserve a higher income after they worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get through medical school? Sometimes I find myself being nicer to the people who have been nicer to me.  Surely that's fair, huh?  If I'm in a position to do a special favor for someone today, isn't it logical for me to give it to the person with the smile on his face instead of the one with the sour attitude? As a young man, fresh out of college, I soon found myself in a management position, with the responsibility of hiring and firing employees. With a strong desire to be as compassionate as possible, and to also have a positive impact on society, I made up my mind to base hiring decisions to a great extent on the prospective employee's need for the job. My motives were pure, but my plan was a failure. I've been asked on occasion who was the best employee I ever hired, and every time, my mind goes immediately to a young lady named Nancy, the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in town.  As a matter of fact, her dad promised her if she would get a job, he would match what she earned, dollar for dollar, which meant she was actually making double the amount I was paying her.  I'm still grateful that I had the privilege of working with Nancy, but I would never have known her if that hiring decision had been based solely on "need." Sometimes I struggle with the issues I've just put forth, trying to find the proper balance between what people need and what they deserve. I understand that only God has the ability to look into a person's heart and mind to see their true intentions to know what they actually deserve, but as I try to pattern my life after Christ, I must keep in mind that some issues, such as beauty and financial position, are not as important to Him as they are to me.  I don't think God has a problem with beauty and wealth, which means that He won't withhold blessings from those who have it....but, neither will He favor them because of it. Trying to be "Christ-like" is not always as easy as it sounds, but I'm still working at it. He knows that, too. Preston