Av 9
The Appearance
“Abstain from all APPEARANCE
of evil.” (1The 5:22 KJV, emphasis mine)
The definition of the word ‘appearance’ is “the
state, condition, manner, or style in which a person or object appears; outward look or aspect; the act
or fact of appearing, as to the eye
or mind or before the public”[1]. ‘Appear’ means “to come into sight; become
visible”[2]. In other words, ‘appearance’ is how we would perceive
something that becomes visible to us.
First impressions are critical, regardless of how
we choose to reason it. For example, if
I observe a man taking a buggy whip to a horse, I would be concerned that the
horse was being abused. If, upon further
conversation with the individual, I learn that the horse had been horribly
misbehaving, and was being disciplined, there is the strong possibility that I
would continue to have reservations as to how that man handles his horses. None of this is unusual; what we first observe with our eyes is what will
linger in our subconscious.
Let me present to you another example: I have a friend, a lady who is between 40-50
years old, single, fairly attractive, who also believes that she has a good rapport
with the Living Elohim. This lady has
been in a relationship with a man in another city (about 2-3 hours away) for
over a year. My friend travels to this
city at least once a month, to spend
the weekend with her ‘significant other’.
The catch in my spirit came when she informed me that yes, they were
sleeping in the same bed, but no, they were not having any kind of intimate
relations. When I quoted our opening
verse to her, her comment was “my friends know
that I wouldn’t do something like that.”
Brethren, it doesn’t matter what I think; it does matter how the world, full of
people who have limited knowledge of the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
perceive and understand what they are seeing.
The verse above tells us – in no uncertain terms – to abstain (“to hold
oneself back voluntarily, especially from something regarded as improper or
unhealthy”[3])
from all of the things that might be
interpreted as questionable. Those of us
who walk the Torah walk recognize that ‘evil’ is translated as everything that
is in opposition to Torah, that contradicts what we are taught in the Torah.
In plain English, folks, we are called to be a
city set on a hill, the lamp on the lampstand (Mat 5:147-16), shining for all
to see. Everything we do and say is
under scrutiny; yes, we are under a microscope, being constantly examined. We are to be living epistles, read by all men
(2Cor 3:2). If my life is the only
testament of the Living Elohim that any
given individual might read, what effect does it have when I continually act in
such a manner that gives the ‘appearance of evil’? Is this reflecting a commitment to honor my
Creator is all that I do and say?
We cannot serve two masters; we will love the one,
and despise the other (Mat 6:24). Daily,
it is a battle between the yetzer hara
(the evil and selfish inclination) and the yetzer
hatov (the good and Godly inclination); ultimately, it comes down to our choice, as to how we walk out our halacha, our lifestyle according to
Torah. May we never bring shame to the
One who redeemed us, in all that we say and do …
“Cause no
stumbling, either to the Yehuḏim or to the Greeks or to the assembly of Elohim, as I
also please all men in all matters, not seeking my own advantage, but that of
the many, that they might be saved.” (1Cor 10:32-33 ISR)
“… giving
no cause of stumbling in whatever, so that the service is not blamed.” (2Cor 6:3 ISR)
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