Articles
Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder
In last Sunday morning’s sermon we noted the disparate views of Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles:
Jn 7:12
Some: “He is good.”
Others: “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.”
How can people look at the same man with the same character, the same works and the same words – a life wholly consistent with godliness – and come to completely opposite opinions? Answer: their view is a mere reflection of their own attitudes rather than the product of objective evidence. The wicked, observing a good man through a darkened lens, cannot process that goodness because he doesn’t value it. Or, to put it another way, “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14).
Paul elsewhere speaks of a similar mindset: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit … Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:5-8).
Our evaluations are tainted by our worldview, our basic value structure. Thus an evil disposition finds the believer despicable, discriminatory and dangerous. This is not a new phenomenon. Note some other examples in Bible history:
1 Samuel 18:3-4; 19:15
Jonathan: “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.”
Saul: “Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, ‘Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.’”
Many other statements describe Saul’s hatred of David and repeated attempts to kill him. Yet Jonathan has a completely different view of this great warrior and godly man: “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?” (1 Sam 19:4-5). David was a national hero who singlehandedly routed the arrogant, oppressive Philistines. How could anyone hate him? But therein lies the problem: Who got the credit for the victory? The #1 song on the charts at that time was, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam 18:7). Ah, I see now. Good is often hated for the praise it receives.
1 Kings 18:7, 17
Obadiah: “Is that you, my lord Elijah?”
King Ahab: “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
What?! The king who arguably did the most harm to Israel by giving his Phoenician queen carte blanche to destroy God’s prophets and spread Baal worship like wildfire has the audacity to call God’s faithful prophet Elijah the “troubler of Israel”? But is it any different today when Christians and other morally conservative people are called haters and bigots for trying to stand for righteousness? Good is often hated because it is an impediment to the plans and goals of the wicked.
Notice also the toll this slander and persecution take on Elijah in 1 Kgs 19 as he plunges into depression after humiliating the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel: “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (19:4). Not also how relentless evil is; it continues its attack regardless of how often it is exposed. The wicked never quit; they just regroup and rearm.
Daniel 6:3-4
Darius: “Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.”
Other officials: “So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.”
The same man who was of such value to Darius and the whole Persian realm was despised by his envious peers. This, of course, led to framing Daniel via fraudulent legislation that took advantage of Darius’ vanity (Dn 6:5-9). But again, contrast the hatred of Daniel’s opponents vs. the esteem of Darius: “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day … But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you’ … Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And … he cried out with a lamenting voice … ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve continually been able to deliver you from the lions?” (Dn 6:13, 16, 18-20). Even Persia had a “swamp,” a cadre of entrenched officials who did not take kindly to their power base being threatened. But Darius had more integrity than they, and thus he valued Daniel’s righteous and responsible administrative ability.
What is the takeaway from such examples? God’s people are not in a popularity contest. Those who strive to do the will of God will not be popular. In fact, Jesus warned, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Lk 6:26). The world flatters and fawns over those who espouse its values, so if it loves us we may be too much like it. On the flip side, the fact that some may speak evil of us does not mean we have done something wrong. Let us first seek to please Him, and then let the chips fall where they may.
