And Micah said, "Now I know the Lord will be good to me, since the Levite has become my priest." Judges 17:13
Micah was all about image. He thought that having a Levite serve as a priest in his home would make him look good, and this would somehow make him acceptable to God. In truth, Micah was an idolater. Nothing he could do to look good would change that. God had made it clear in His first two commandments: Worship only the Lord your God, and make no idols of anything. No amount of goodness in Micah's house would make him acceptable, for God desired his devotion. Man looks at appearances; God looks at the heart.
I learned the fine art of image management when I was a young boy. It seems silly now, but I used to carry four Bibles to church. Each week, I would lug them around. Four translations. The King James, the New American Standard, the Living Bible, and a New Testament that compared four separate translations. With these in hand I was certain people would think, "My, he must be a good little boy. Look at all his Bibles!"
In truth, I rarely opened those Bibles during the week. I knew what I was doing. Maybe by looking good, it would somehow make me acceptable.
Lord, I'm tired of merely looking good. I long to be acceptable because of who I really am - not some image I try to portray. Change my heart. Only You can see what is really there. Make me a man who worships only You and makes idols of nothing. Holy Spirit, be my father and priest. With You as my Guide, I know the Lord will be good to me. Make me acceptable in the Father's sight.