Devotionals

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Hate Your Face (Looks)?
© 2006

by


Stephen A. Peterson


Almost no one thinks they take a good picture. Do you? No...? Many complain their nose is either too big or too small, too flat or too wide, too oily or too dry. Their ears are too big or are not big enough; too droopy or look like dumb the elephant's ears; are attached or unattached. Their teeth are too gray or stick out too far or they need braces. So generally, everyone who laments with respect to their picture, "It's ugly! Yuk!" Really, it is not.

As a Physical Anthropologist as well as a Counseling Psychologist, I am, therefore, very aware of the human cranium (head) and its associated features. At times, people will complain that they have looks more like a parent's feature or features they do not like or wish they didn't have. They work hard to look like someone famous or have surgery to change their face or features of their face. Estimates have it Americans spent more than 18 billion dollars in 2005 in cosmetics and surgical procedures to correct what they do not like about their faces or to enhance their face to attract attention of the public.

When they give me a picture of one or both parents, they are amazed I am able to identify specific traits to one or both parents (i.e. chin shape; forehead, cheeks, ear shape, lips and so forth). Afterwards I wait to hear the person's protests. Often, I receive little or no protests. If there are protests, I simply say, I am just doing what I have been trained to do. What would you expect? Your features are God's gifts to you through your parents like it or not! And God has given you what you have because you're special. God also wants what stands out about you to glorify Himself and you through Him."

I have a secret feeling that faces put up with all the criticism they receive because they know just how special they are. Because people today in and outside of the Christian world want to know what Jesus looked like when he was here on earth in our presence. When artists do their work about Jesus, their focus is on the countenance of Jesus. It was from His face humanity saw compassion, forgiveness, honesty, life, salvation.

So the next time when you criticize your picture and how bad or ugly you look, let this remind you that your face might be singled out for divine attention and the spreading of His Gospel. And when you see someone who is involved in tough, difficult work, be thankful for the face of Christ beaten and bruised for our salvation as well as the one He so lovingly has given you---His Christian imagine.

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