Recently, I lost my cell phone and filed an insurance claim with Asurion, the company that insures my phone. I’m sure it’s not every day that they get a claim that someone’s cell phone fell into the ocean while he was walking on a pier with his wife! They required that I forward valid identification, so I faxed my California driver’s license to confirm my identity. I’m sure they have posted my driver’s license photo on an internal bulletin board, so everyone who works there could have quite the laugh. I suppose I deserve it!
A person’s face is the most recognizable and visible part of his or her anatomy. When we pass through security at an airport, it’s always the same routine. The screeners want to make sure the person standing in front of them is the same person on the government issued identification they carry. I’ve been tempted to hand them someone else’s license just to see if they are really paying attention.
A person’s face often reveals anger, pain, disappointment, frustration, joy, peace, enthusiasm and a myriad of other emotions. People often try to change the look of their faces, and our society spends a considerable amount of money on putting our best “face” forward. Drug store shelves are filled with products that aid people in their efforts to look younger and healthier.
The Apostle Paul gives a spiritual twist as he writes the church at Corinth reminding them that their faces reflect whether they’re living in the freedom the Spirit of the Lord brings. He declares, “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness … ” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV)
I am humbled (again) at the reminder that my daily countenance sends a powerful message to those around me. May it bring honor, not reproach. May it instill confidence, not trepidation. May it infuse hope, not despair. Smile … someone is definitely watching!
“Wisdom brightens a man’s face and changes its hard appearance.” -Ecclesiastes 8:1 (NIV)
==
By: Glenn Burris Jr., general supervisor
