A few weeks ago my wife passed me a note in Church that inquired: “why are you making that face?” I innocently replied “What face?” After the Service she explained that I was frowning as if I were mad. Actually, I had been pondering what I perceived to be confusion in American churches as to purpose. But, back to my facial expression. Our faces do tell on us. Sometimes, while preaching I observe individuals who are looking straight at me with eyes open but just a blank stare. You know, one of those “the light is on but nobody is home”.
We Christians need to be careful, we may be facially transmitting a message that is not too attractive. Some things makeup can’t hide. 1 Thessalonians 5: 22 (KJV) instructs “Abstain from all appearances of evil.” You may be appearing angry, disgusted, shocked, lustful, prejudiced, and the like that will drive people away from you when we Christians should be magnetizing folks. I think it was in this stream of thought that Jesus spoke in Matthew 12:34 (NIV) “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” What the real “you” is thinking escapes through your face. As the western song says “and the heart don’t lie”. James 1: 23-24 (NIV) warns us about seeing our own reflection in a mirror and doing nothing to change the reflection.
Did you ever listen to a Speaker and observe that his words and his expression weren’t the same? Words about love but spoken in an angry tone, for instance. Appearance matters and I’m not talking about clothing style. What kind of facial expression did Jesus usually have? The Bible is silent on that subject but since crowds followed Him wherever He went we can be sure He was winsome, tender, open, transparent, caring and non-judgemental when they looked at Him. How about your face?
“Lord, we know in our hearts that it is not a question of handsome or
pretty; we just need to have our hearts in tune with You. Amen”
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