Isaiah 52.14 NAS “Just as many were astonished at you, My people, so... His appearance was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.”
Have you ever said anything you wish you hadn’t? The words escaped your mouth before your brain filtered their content. Your listeners, more skilled at word filtering, stared at you blankly and said nothing. You felt like an idiot and thought, “I can’t believe I just said that. How stupid I must appear.” Yes. You made yourself look bad. But things could be worse. They were for Jesus. No matter how bad you look, He looked worse.
“He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him,
nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.”
Isaiah 53.2b NAS
Jesus relates to everybody, not only those who look dumb or feel ashamed after saying something embarrassing, but also those whose physical appearance would astonish you… burn victims, deformed people with facial disfigurements, the scarred, ugly, and overweight, folks with disabilities, hunchbacks, the elderly, the overly freckled, pimpled, blemished, or birth-marked, the disproportioned, and anyone who avoids a mirror at all costs.
However horrible we think we appear, at some point in His life, Jesus looked worse.
“His appearance was marred more than any man,
And His form more than the sons of men.”
The sufferings of Christ transformed Him into a man we could almost not bear to look upon. We’re told by the prophet that “the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief” (Isaiah 53.10). Why? Perhaps that others so crushed, bruised, pierced, and scourged could have a Savior they could relate to.
I once entered church I saw a physically malformed and homely woman in a wheelchair. She appeared to suffer from a mental disability. I did as I often do. I refused to look away but instead, tried to engage her in conversation. I caught her eye, smiled, and said, “Good morning.” She responded with a look of disgust and stuck her tongue at me! I was surprised and felt it best to just keep walking. Apparently this lady could not relate to me. But she has a Savior she can relate to. We do not have (or need) a Savior “who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4.15), but rather one who can.
No matter how foolish or ugly I appear to myself or others, Jesus has looked worse.
No matter how foolish or ugly I appear to myself or others, Jesus has looked worse.
“His appearance was marred more than any man,
And His form more than the sons of men.”
I like that about Jesus.
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Dan Piraro and Norman Rockwell are two of my favorite artists.
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5 comments:
"Jesus relates to everybody, even people whose appearance astonishes us… burn victims, those with deformities and facial disfigurements, the scarred, ugly and overweight folks, people with disabilities, hunchbacks, the elderly, the freckled, blemished, and birth-marked, the disproportioned, and many others who avoid a mirror at all costs. However horrible they appear, at some point in His life, Jesus looked worse."
Would this apply to a short, ugly, retired guy with a black dog?
--- just kidding ---
Love your graphics.
Charlie
Yes, you're retired and have a black dog, but you're no shorter than me and certainly not ugly.
Thanks for the comment. You're a good man, Charlie K.
Dave
Great post - In all ways you can find comfort from Jesus.
Love to you.
Kelly
Amen Kelly.
One of my earliest jobs was waiting tables. One day a woman came through the door and I saw that her face was was covered totally in skin bumps about the size of lady bugs. As I'm asking God to please, put her in another section, the host places her at in mine. After a quick prayer the impression to just look into her eyes as our necessary conversation ensued. I was so grateful to God, because she had some honor and I went away satisfied with how I delt with the situation. The funny part is that she later brought her son in to me.
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