Appearances: 2 Corinthians 12:6

                Today, we are looking at two seemingly opposite ideas in scripture that actually complement each other. The first is to avoid managing our appearances and the second is to manage our appearances. The first piece of scripture I want to show you is 2 Corinthians 12:6:

6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.

           In this scripture, we see that Paul is holding himself back from the temptation to make people believe about him what he wants them to believe. In other words, not telling people that you are good and trustworthy. Instead, Paul asks us to let our actions speak for themselves. We, as Christians, should not have to beg people to trust us and make good opinions of us. Rather, our words and actions should be so above reproach that people know that they can trust us without much thought. In this sense, we are not supposed to carefully manage our image before other people. This is the message behind James 5:12, which says:

12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.

            In addition to this, it does not seem to matter very much what people think of us in the first place because  we receive value from God's opinion of us rather than man's opinion. This can be seen in 1 Corinthians 2:15:

15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment

         So far, we have two verses that explain how and why we do not manage our appearances: we should let our words/actions speak for themselves and we are only to get our value from God in the first place. However, these verses are balanced by other thoughts in scripture that show that it is very important what other people think, but this importance comes from a different set of reasons than the world has for valuing the opinions of people. First, look at 2 Corinthians 8:20-21:

 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.

           Also, look at 1 Peter 3:15b-16:

15b Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

          Therefore, we see that we are to place a very high value on the opinions of others and should change our words and actions so that they will look good in the eyes of other people. This managing of one's appearance is not done out of insincerity. One verse that discounts this idea is James 3:17, which tells us that:

 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is... sincere.

            We recognize that we need to be a great example for other people and we do so out of a sincere heart. Therefore, what I am trying to say is that we need to take pains to do and say what is right in the eyes of others without staking our personal value in the eyes of others. We see Jesus having to deal with this tension himself. In John 5:41-44, he says:

41 “I do not accept praise from men, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?

         But in Matthew 17:27, he tells Peter:

 27 “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

         It may seem shocking, but Jesus tells Peter to give the tax for the sake of appearances. You would never think the Supreme Ruler of the universe would have cared about what anyone thought. However, in this case, we see that Jesus recognizes the need to maintain good appearances, even if the action itself didn't have much value. To Jesus, it didn't matter whether or not they gave the tax, but he didn't want to ruin the image of his ministry by getting it caught up in a scandal over taxes. This is not to say that Jesus was a people pleaser; throughout the gospels, it is very clear that Jesus values righteousness over appearances. However, this allows us to draw a very practical lesson from this verse. When the righteousness of an action is neutral, we are to choose the path that looks best in the eyes of others. This will keep us from pushing people away from the faith and will allow us to pick and choose the battles that do matter without causing a big ruckus over every decision that we make.
          In a church, this means that the leaders need to be clear and accountable to others, even if there is no risk of mismanagement! In a romantic relationship, it means not putting yourself in sexually compromising situations, even if you both have great self control! Around other Christians, it means avoiding what other people think is sin, even if we know it is not sin!
         In conclusion, there is a very healthy place in the back of our minds for what other people think of us. However, instead of letting these thoughts determine our value or bog us down in worry and regret, we should leave the end result up to God and view the management of righteous appearances as a ministry and opportunity all on it's own; this is not a hypocritical act, but a radical righteous that not only obeys God's word, but goes above and beyond obedience to make sure people see our words and behavior as God glorifying rather than leaving them in doubt.
        In closing, this concept is best illustrated by Paul's talk on food sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 8:7b-13:

7b Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

Peace,
Simeon Snow