I saw an article the other day concerning "hands models" who make their living by posing for advertisements. One of the photos shown struck me as a microcosm of the phoniness of this world and the things of it: what is portrayed as reality isn't always the case.
As I considered the picture later, I thought of the message it conveys: a model with a pretty face doesn't always have the hands to match the flawless ideal, and the model with photogenic hands doesn't have the face the advertiser wants. The world has set up a facade to worship, an impossible ideal to measure up to. What is considered beautiful today can be cast off as old or ugly tomorrow. We chase perfection without hope, for even those who have lovely hands are not judged to have the face to match. Change our appearance as we might, there always remains in us a flaw beyond our grasp.
This is where Jesus Christ meets us in spite of our imperfections. He does not seek us out for the beauty of our face and reject our hands: He loves us wholly out of His goodness and grace. We are not like the model whose face is acceptable but her hands are not presentable. We cannot measure up to a standard of physical or spiritual perfection, and we are never called to. The Law was given to show a man his need for forgiveness and not a means to measure righteousness. No man by working can attain an acceptable standard of righteousness before God. But when we place our faith in Jesus Christ who died for us, we are accepted by Him and walk in His love. God demonstrated His love for us when we were yet sinners through Christ dying on Calvary.
Many people think we can earn God's favour or acceptance by our efforts, but this is impossible. No one can earn God's love by attempts to measure up, by altering our behaviour or trying to "clean up our act." There is no act which can fool God, for He and our conscience confirms we are sinners who deserve eternal punishment for our sin. Having received the Gospel and forgiveness by grace through faith we respond by choosing to live in the righteous way which pleases the God who loves and gave Himself for us. Our identity should not be found in what we do or how we look but in who God is and our reconciled relationship with Him. We are flawed, but God looks upon those who trust in Him as flawless.
Proverbs 31:30 says, "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." We praise and compliment people for their looks, but those who fear the LORD shall be praised. This world and the glory of it is passing away. I love the observation of C.S. Lewis who said Jesus was able to pass through walls to meet with the disciples who hid behind locked doors because in His resurrected state He was the most real thing. Locked doors and stone walls are mist and vapour before Him who is eternal and awesome. Only God is worthy of glory and honour, yet God provides undeserving sinners salvation and eternal life with Him by grace.
As I considered the picture later, I thought of the message it conveys: a model with a pretty face doesn't always have the hands to match the flawless ideal, and the model with photogenic hands doesn't have the face the advertiser wants. The world has set up a facade to worship, an impossible ideal to measure up to. What is considered beautiful today can be cast off as old or ugly tomorrow. We chase perfection without hope, for even those who have lovely hands are not judged to have the face to match. Change our appearance as we might, there always remains in us a flaw beyond our grasp.
This is where Jesus Christ meets us in spite of our imperfections. He does not seek us out for the beauty of our face and reject our hands: He loves us wholly out of His goodness and grace. We are not like the model whose face is acceptable but her hands are not presentable. We cannot measure up to a standard of physical or spiritual perfection, and we are never called to. The Law was given to show a man his need for forgiveness and not a means to measure righteousness. No man by working can attain an acceptable standard of righteousness before God. But when we place our faith in Jesus Christ who died for us, we are accepted by Him and walk in His love. God demonstrated His love for us when we were yet sinners through Christ dying on Calvary.
Many people think we can earn God's favour or acceptance by our efforts, but this is impossible. No one can earn God's love by attempts to measure up, by altering our behaviour or trying to "clean up our act." There is no act which can fool God, for He and our conscience confirms we are sinners who deserve eternal punishment for our sin. Having received the Gospel and forgiveness by grace through faith we respond by choosing to live in the righteous way which pleases the God who loves and gave Himself for us. Our identity should not be found in what we do or how we look but in who God is and our reconciled relationship with Him. We are flawed, but God looks upon those who trust in Him as flawless.
Proverbs 31:30 says, "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." We praise and compliment people for their looks, but those who fear the LORD shall be praised. This world and the glory of it is passing away. I love the observation of C.S. Lewis who said Jesus was able to pass through walls to meet with the disciples who hid behind locked doors because in His resurrected state He was the most real thing. Locked doors and stone walls are mist and vapour before Him who is eternal and awesome. Only God is worthy of glory and honour, yet God provides undeserving sinners salvation and eternal life with Him by grace.
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