As a beauty I'm...
Illustration
As a beauty I'm not a star,
There are others more handsome by far;
But my face, I don't mind it;
Because I'm behind it --
'Tis the folks out in front that I jar
Author unknown. Often quoted by Woodrow Wilson)
"They are lords and owners of their faces," wrote Shakespeare. That's not entirely true. Usually we must take the face our parents gave us. Surgeons can alter some of our flaws and blemishes, but they can do only so much.
Lincoln's Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, said, "A man of fifty is responsible for his face." That's true. Our behavior and character become etched in our faces. The puffy face of a well-known politician evidences the effects of too much alcohol. Prefer the leathery look? Cigarettes will create it for you -- reliably.
Attitudes appear in faces -- sometimes long before the age of fifty. Vengeful people develop pursed, prune-like lips. Worry, bitterness, and disapproval score our skin with indelible lines. Frowns form permanent rumples. Furrows deepen with the years. Jesus' fellow synagogue worshipers likely wore rage-ravaged faces.
Many have faces that grow more handsome and beautiful in time. Compassion and forgiveness make them winsome. God's love in their hearts puts an attractive, warm glow on their faces. Their lines become love wrinkles.
To a great extent, we do create our own faces. What are you doing to yours?
