The Face of Being Human

This will probably be long. Feel free to pass on by if that isn’t your thing.

I have refrained from sharing very much or posting and commenting and have been trying to use more time to pray, seek, trust, and examine my own heart. And these things are on my heart today. I am grateful, and God is so good. I feel blessed to know a few who live as an inspiration to others like me in what it means to live according to the convictions of their consciences before God. If we are truly ‘in Christ’ (Christian), God’s word teaches that every man should live according to his conscience because it is the Holy Spirit within us, who speaks to our consciences.
The Bible has so many mentions of the countenance of man. For this it stands to reason that God has placed special significance to it; the human face, its expression, and our countenance. We were created in His own image.
When someone is rescued from being stranded, or sick, or even shut in due to a storm, the expression of enormous relief is a familiar one, “I haven’t seen another face in __ (months, weeks, days)!!!” Or this one: “It’s SO GOOD just to see another FACE!”
When I have to go to the store to get necessities (and i mean, when i absolutely cannot avoid it or we will go hungry), I look at the eyes of others just to see if there are any like mine with tears in them who might be desperately missing connection that once took place: kind smile from someone else, a warm hello, a conversation in the checkout line….the spark of light exchanged to and from another soul in this dark world. But nothing. Apathy. Hate. Ignorance. Avoidance. Actual selfishness. Once in a while I do recognize depression, loss of will, hopelessness, and yes, tears. I am convinced absence of another human face is why prisoners placed in isolation lose their minds.
So I was discouraged last night listening to another Christian leader rebuking other believers for not wearing masks, because I know in my own convictions the evil agenda behind this. People are twisting it and playing right into the evil. So, I was looking up some scriptures this morning before and feel led to share them..
((I understand you may disagree, that is ok too. You can choose to mock me, to talk about me and make me out to be a fool. I am not a perfect person. I made wrong turns in this life, I aim to do better, I am capable of error, i struggle with things, and I don’t consider myself higher or better than you. But I am who I am by the grace of God and not of my own merit. Jesus Christ is Lord, and every day I try to love Him in a manner that is worthy of the sacrifice He made to save me. If you have read this far, and you find that your face is twisted like the reflection of a fun-house-mirror with resentment & laughing scorn for me… then well, you have your own convictions, and I have mine.))
I am not the judge so I will leave that up to God. But whether or not you are struggling with this, like I am, whoever you are reading this, I’m sending love out & prayers up, from NY.

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.”
From 2 Corinthians chapter 11 KJV

“And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.”
1 Samuel 16:12 KJV

“There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord , lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Psalms 4:6 KJV

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”
John 1:4‭, ‬9 KJV

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
Proverbs 27:17 KJV

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14‭-‬16 KJV

“The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Numbers 6:25‭-‬26 KJV

“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”
Matthew 6:16 KJV

“O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.”
Song of Solomon 2:14 KJV

“Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.”
Daniel 1:13 KJV

“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
Proverbs 15:13 KJV

“And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.”
2 Kings 8:11 KJV

“Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.”
Ecclesiastes 7:3 KJV

“And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.”
1 Samuel 1:18 kjv

“Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.”
1 Samuel 25:3 KJV

“Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his Lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed”
Daniel 5:10 KJV

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
Psalms 43:5 KJV