Monday, April 4, 2016

The Look of Love
By Elizabeth Cole

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, 
he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”

I once heard an extremely engaging speaker tell our church’s moms’ group a story about her face. She said that when she was a young woman, she had inadvertently glanced in a mirror as she passed by, and was utterly shocked by the scowl that reflected back. It so startled her that she had to sit down and give thought to it. Considering herself to be an inviting personality, she was saddened as she realized that this was the face her children and husband saw most…and it wasn’t even an accurate portrayal of her feelings toward them! What was simply “deep in thought” came across as frustration and irritation. At that point in her life, she decided to purposefully guard her facial expressions and conscientiously look her family members in the eye and smile…every day.  

I’m grateful for her decision. All my conscious memories of my precious mom are after she’d made that choice!

There’s something about a look that conveys so much, isn’t there? A furrowed brow, the lack of eye contact, a disapproving wrinkling of the eyes, the downturned mouth. Or consider the opposite: a gentle glance, a warm gaze, a tender smile. I can’t help but think that Jesus must’ve had that kind of face as He walked among the crowds of broken people. What kind of approachable look did He have that would cause little children to run to Him, lepers to approach Him, an outcast woman to touch His cloak, or crowds to follow Him to a remote place in search of healing? Surely His face conveyed His compassion, and His availability.

I’m challenged today to reflect my Savior’s love and availability in the way I look at…and to…others.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Take a glance in the mirror. How can you intentionally convey compassion without words?
2. How will you create enough margin in your life to authentically communicate availability?

FURTHER READING:

Elizabeth is a wife with three grown daughters and two sons-in-law, and is the Director of Connecting at Oakwood Church.