I believe God hides unique blessings in people that don't fit our first impression standards. First impressions are the first security check points - when we give people the benefit of the doubt, look at their hearts and not our assumptions, we pass and are allowed to move forward. When we look past our initial judgments of a person, we are allowed to move in and take part in what God has invested in them.
The Bible talks about receiving a reward for accepting different types of people.When we receive a person we are rewarded as if we also walk in their gift. Matthew 10:40-41 ESV, "“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a
prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he
is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward."
THE MESSAGE,“We are
intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do,
accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts
my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being
God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone
help.”
It's not only giving, but receiving that God blesses. I think this is why He sometimes places people where they don't seem to fit - as a test to those He's brought them in front of. It's an
opportunity to receive a blessing for receiving what He's sent.
This really encourages me to not only be a giver to people, but a receiver of people. :-) It's easier to give than to receive. When we give we have control, we can throw our giving as a person would to the dogs and keep people at an arm's length. But when we receive we pull inward, we draw near. That can be scary, but it's blessed.
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