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Last week, I was chatting with my wife and she told me one thing that is surely raised my attention. It is from one of our neighborhood friends.  She observed that I was not walking around the neighborhood as frequent as I did in the past. And, my usual smiles seem missing when she saw me. She thought that I must have too much in my mind.  I didn’t realize that my facial expressions was that obvious 🙂

Someone once said, “After the age of 40, it is you who is responsible for your own countenance”.

I guess it bears some truth especially nowadays, a lot of pressure is coming from this world upon you.  Hence, after certain age, you may feel that you are overloaded by life pressure. Ha…ha…ha. Seriously though, it is true that one’s countenance does reflect his life experiences and, more importantly, what is inside in his mind. The other day in our small group meeting, we were talking about whose face was shining with light. Someone mentioned that he saw a pastor with a shining face. Therefore, we can deduce that how you live your life would reflect in your face and appearance and it is obvious when you are older. This reminds me of what Moses reminded Israelites, “As your days, so shall your strength be. 你的日子如何、你的力量也必如何 (Deuteronomy 33:25b)”

On the other hand, can a person project to others may be very different from who he is on the inside? I think it is very likely. In fact, there is a devotion that I read a while ago titled “The Picture of Dorian Gray”. It depicts a contradictory living between Dorian’s outward appearance and his corrupted heart. It is an enlightened story and a similar story from Pharisees was seen in the New Testament — that is the reason Jesus criticized them as hypocrites.

My dear brothers and sisters, God prescribed a life journey for each one of us. Do we become more like or not-so-like His son Jesus Christ in the end of our journey would tell the story of our living. We may not escape from pressure of this world but we can live a “joyful” life because we have a treasure – Jesus Christ – in us. Therefore, please remember that

“We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 我們有這寶貝放在瓦器裡、要顯明這莫大的能力、是出於　神、不是出於我們(2 Corinthians 4:7)”

I hope you will have a shining face when I see you next time 🙂