Beautiful Thoughts Make A Beautiful Soul, And A Beautiful Soul Makes A Beautiful Face.

The thoughts make the face
(J.R. Miller, "The Face of the Master")

"HIS face was like the sun shining 

in all its brilliance!" Revelation 1:16

We have no picture of JESUS CHRIST. 

The paintings of HIM which artists have 

given us, are only their conceptions 

of HIS appearance. None of these 

paintings, however noble and worthy 

they may be, are to be thought of as 

true portraits of the MASTER'S face.

Yet the face of JESUS CHRIST must 

have been very beautiful. It is sin that 

disfigures the human countenance, and 

there was no sin in HIM. HIS life was 

spotless and pure.

They tell us that the thoughts make 

the face. We cannot altogether hide our 

inner life from men's eyes. What goes on 

in the depths of our being, comes up to 

the surface in unmistakable indications 

and revealings. The faulty qualities of 

the heart work out in the life and betray 

themselves in the face.

If you are discontented--

then the discontent will reveal itself 

in your features. If you have bitter 

thoughts and feelings in your heart--

then the bitterness will write its hard 

lines on your countenance. 

But if you habitually think gentle 

thoughts, kindly thoughts, and 

peaceful thoughts--

then on your face will come 

gentleness, kindness, and peace. 

If you keep love in your heart amid all 

your afflictions and trials, all the irritations 

and harrowings of life--

then your face will shine with love. 

There is much truth in the familiar lines:

"Beautiful thoughts make a beautiful soul,
 And a beautiful soul makes a beautiful face."

We know that all the thoughts of the MASTER 

were beautiful thoughts. Heaven dwelt in HIM, 

and there was never any fleck of stain upon HIS soul. 

In a world of hate, cruelty, and injustice--

HIS heart was always full of love. Never was 

an unkind thought there for a moment. 

Infinite holiness dwelt in HIM. 

All the beatitudes had their home in HIS 

bosom. All the fruits of the SPIRIT grew 

to perfect ripeness in HIM.

"Whatever things are true,
 whatever things are noble,
 whatever things are just,
 whatever things are pure,
 whatever things are lovely,
 whatever things are commendable,
 if there is any virtue and
 if there is anything praiseworthy--
meditate on these things!" Philippians 4:8

These were the things on which JESUS 
thought continually. HE never had . . .
  a sordid thought,
  an impure thought,
  a trivial thought,
  a selfish thought.

HIS mind was never disturbed by 
discontent, by impurity, by anxiety. 
HIS converse was always with HIS FATHER. 

Though walking on the earth among 
sinful men, HE really lived in Heaven. 
All HIS feelings, desires, affections, and 
emotions were holy. HE always did those 
things that were pleasing to HIS FATHER. 

If beautiful thoughts make a beautiful soul--
then the soul of JESUS was spotlessly, 
divinely beautiful. And if a beautiful 
soul makes a beautiful face--
then the face of JESUS was 
transcendently lovely!

Sorrow mars some faces. 
It need not do so. Only when affliction 
is not accepted in love and faith--
does it leave marks of disfigurement. 
Sorrow sweetly endured, transfigures 
the face, giving it new beauty. 

JESUS was a man of sorrows. 
But HIS sorrows only made HIS 
face more radiant.

Poverty writes hard lines on some faces. 
JESUS was poor--
HE had nowhere to lay HIS head. 
But HIS poverty left no trace 
on HIS features--
except to make them gentler, 
kindlier, more sympathetic toward 
human poverty and need. 

HIS face was quiet, calm, serene, heavenly.

  
 ~  ~  ~  ~

GraceGems has published J.R. Miller's insightful three page article, 
"On Loving Others".