I am often reminded that too many of us are blinded by uniforms. I respect what certain uniforms are meant to represent—service, courage, discipline, sacrifice. These ideals deserve respect. However, I do not see any moral virtue in a person’s character just because they wear one. A uniform doesn't make someone good. It doesn't make them brave. It doesn't make them trustworthy. Nor does it make them evil. It’s just fabric—symbols sewn together to denote a role, not a person.
Some of the best people—both globally and in the United States—wear uniforms that few would respect, if they wear a uniform at all. Meanwhile, some of the worst hide behind uniforms and are allowed to get away with atrocities because many have learned to idolize their clothing. This kind of idolatry is not new, of course, but it is lazy. More than that, it is spiritually and practically dangerous to judge virtue or vice based on appearances.
Scripture warns us about this tendency. The Lord told Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). And Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, called his followers to judge righteousness not by outward display but by the fruit of a person’s life: “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16).
When we mistake appearances for goodness, we aren’t being loyal; we’re being idolatrous. We give human symbols the reverence that rightly belongs only to God. Whether it’s a badge, a collar, a clerical robe, a sports jersey, or a political label, the temptation remains the same: to believe that what someone wears shows who they truly are. But the gospel calls us to look deeper—to see people as they really are, not as society tells us to see them. Every person is capable of great good or great harm, no matter what they wear or what title they hold.
So yes, respect what uniforms are meant to represent. Honor courage, service, and self-sacrifice when they are genuine. But never let symbols blind you to the truth. Because when we stop seeing the person, we stop seeing what God sees and become biased in our judgment. And that’s when injustice—whether against the powerless or in defense of the powerful—flourishes.
The next time you feel tempted to put someone on a pedestal or dismiss them or ignore their perspectives because of their uniform or title—or lack thereof—pause. Ask what their life shows, what their actions reveal, what their results demonstrate. That’s how we start to see clearly.