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| Good
Looking? Or Looking To Be Good?
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| Dee Bowman |
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In a recent survey, it was
determined that over 98% of the women in America and almost 96% of the men
are dissatisfied with how they look. You know what’s astounding about
that statistic? It’s that such a statistic even exists. Why would the
time be taken to ascertain how many people don’t like how they look? We’re
so pompous, so proud. It's preposterous!
Proof of the unending
interest in that sort of thing is everywhere. It’s seen in changing
styles to accommodate a person’s physique, or make his or her natural
coloring more palatable, or illuminate his or her personality. I’ve not
seen any information on how much monies are spent on facial products,
make-up of various kinds, shampoos and hair coloring products, fingernail
and toenail products, shaving creams, lotions of all kinds and fragrances—and
on and one we could go—but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were not in
the multi-billion dollar range. And what is the reason for these
expenditures? To make us look better.
And you know what? It’s a
futile exercise—one doomed to certain failure.
Could I read Ecclesiastes
12:1-8 for you? Listen to it, and be forewarned. “Remember also your
Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years
draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them,’ before
the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the
clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the house
tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they
are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors
on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one
rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought
low—they are afraid also of what his high, and terrors are in the way;
the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire
fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about
the streets—before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is
broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken
at the cistern, and dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit
returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is
vanity.”
The figures are telling,
the metaphors brilliantly accurate. You just can’t stave off old age. If
you live long enough, you’re going to get old; and when you do, you won’t
look like you once did. Ask Jack LaLayne or Elizabeth Taylor. Or me.
Wouldn’t be interesting
if a survey were to be taken to determine how many people in America are
dissatisfied with how they are, instead of how they look? I know of no
such survey, even though it should be obvious that character is far more
important than good looks. Character lasts. It creates good situations and
recommends truthful actions. Excellence is more important than success. It
gives things genuine substance. Integrity is vital. It results in truthful
applications; it makes sense. And holiness is more important than repute.
It attaches to eternity. These are the really attractive attributes in
life.
Now I don’t think it’s
wrong to do the best you can with what you’ve got, but just trying to be
forever young is not what life is all about. What is vital is to be ready
when the time comes for your demise. Just a few verses later, in
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, Solomon compacts all he has surveyed into one
simple statement: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God
and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. For God will
bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or
evil.”
We better spend a little
time and—perish the thought—a little money if need be, preparing for
that final statistic.
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Copyright (C)
2008
Southside Church of Christ
All rights reserved.
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