Don't Be So Quick To Base Things On Appearance

Tonight I got a lesson in not 'judging a book by its cover.' I was sitting in the truck waiting on my son to come out from work. While I was waiting, a man came out who looked kinda bad. He was unshaven, his hair reached out in different directions from underneath his ball cap. He looked like he hadn't had a bath lately either. He was carrying one grocery bag which obviously only had one thing in it. My first thought was that he may have been homeless and had scrounged up some cash for something to eat. As he came out of the store, he turned to each of the ash tray barrels where people could ditch their cigarettes before going inside. He reached into each one and carefully picked some cigarette butts out of each. I saw this and said, "ohhhh grooossss!" I thought he was scrounging for cigarette butts long enough to smoke later.
BUT, he turned around with the cigarette butts, took two steps, made sure they were all out, then threw them away in the adjacent trash can. I felt kinda dumb for my thoughts. God however, thought I needed to have the point driven home a little more clearly. The man reached inside his jacket and I once again thought, "he's gonna pull out a cigarette." Instead, he pulled out a hardcover book. It was a Bible! Now I really, really felt awful. Just before my son walked out the door, the man seemed to say something - as if saying it to himself...but I heard him clearly. He said, "gotta pull out my hidden weapon." I smiled and in the time that my son came out and we pulled out of the lot, I could see him walking away, down the sidewalk, as if without a care in the world.
Who was this guy? Was he really homeless? I haven't the slightest idea. But I know one thing. God used this man to remind me that we should look at others as those 'created image of God.' People who matter to God and as such, should matter to me - enough yo look beyond surface appearances.

Thanks Lord, for the lesson.