Many years ago when I first began working as a chaplain, I met a patient I will never forget.  When I walked into the room, I noticed that he was covered with tattoos.

I wasn’t sure what to expect.  To my surprise, when I introduced myself, he quickly moved into conversation about spirituality and his illness.  He said he had already undergone many surgical procedures.  Then he showed me the zipper tattoo on his spine – a way for doctors to have quick access in case he needed another surgery.  Together we laughed about his zipper.  The humor of his tattoo was one of the ways he was coping with his chronic health condition.

Whenever I think of this young man, I am reminded of how appearances do not tell the whole story.  This memory cautions me to be careful of what I might assume or judge based on appearance, because it may not tell the whole story.

The biblical reference for this reflection compares the time of Noah to the time of the Second Coming.  The reference to one being taken and one being left is a picture of people who appear to be doing the same work.  One is saved and one is not, but it is not for us to judge.  Appearance does not tell the whole story.  There must be something different, something we cannot see from the appearance, which results in one being saved, and one not. It is only with eyes of faith that the true reality can be seen.