Learning to compliment beauty with the virtues
01/13/2018
1 SM 9:1-4, 17-19 There was a stalwart man from Benjamin
named Kish, who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of
Aphiah, a Benjaminite. He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man.
There was no other child of Israel more handsome than Saul; he stood head and
shoulders above the people. Now the asses of Saul's father, Kish, had wandered
off. Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go
out and hunt for the asses." Accordingly they went through the hill
country of Ephraim, and through the land of Shalishah. Not finding them there,
they continued through the land of Shaalim without success. They also went
through the land of Benjamin, but they failed to find the animals. When Samuel
caught sight of Saul, the LORD assured him, "This is the man of whom I
told you; he is to govern my people."
Beautiful people wield a lot of power in the world. I’ve
learned this more by observing others than by experiencing it myself. Beautiful
women and handsome men possess a sort of hypnotic power over others, and we
defer to them involuntarily and naturally. I remember an episode of the sitcom
“Seinfeld” where Jerry and George are arguing over the merits of having a head
full of hair. George, who is bald, asks, “So, what if men have hair? What’s the
big deal?” To which, Jerry simply answers: “Men would rule the world.” There’s more
truth to that statement than most of us would readily admit. In David
McCullough’s biography of President John Adams, we see again the power of
beauty. At the Continental Congress, Benjamin Franklin tells Adams the names of
each member, and who has the qualities of a president. Adams immediately
notices George Washington, and says, “He’s a natural born leader.” Franklin sagely replies, “He’s always the
tallest man in the room. He’s bound to
end up leading something.” Don’t tell
Napoleon that, who was known for this diminutive stature.
That’s why beauty also needs a little balance, a sort of
counter-point. Have you ever heard the old saying, “It’s the looks that gets
them, but it’s the personality that keeps them”? Everyone is immediately
attracted to the beautiful woman and the handsome man. But meaningful and
enduring relationships require that beauty to be balanced with a personality
that is kind and humble, wise and courageous. In other words, beauty alone is
not enough “to rule the world.”
This balancing act between beauty and personality is being
portrayed in the book of Samuel. The people of Israel are clamoring for a king,
a little like the American colonists were looking for a president. God
instructs the prophet Samuel to anoint Saul. But do you recall Saul’s
appearance? We read: “There was no other child of Israel more handsome than
Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people.” You might almost say that
Saul had the hair of Seinfeld and the height of Washington. A good-looking guy
like that was “bound to be leading something.” But sadly, Saul lacked the
personality to back up the beauty. If you continue to read the rest of the
story, Saul becomes terribly corrupt and God has to choose another king, the
shepherd boy David, who is said to be “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel
13:14). That is, David possessed both beauty as well as its balance, a
personality that was virtuous. Beauty alone is not enough “to rule the world.”
Take a moment to think of your personal experiences with
beauty – your own beauty as well as that of others. Have you noticed how
deferential we tend to be around beautiful people? I am convinced that
beautiful women get out of more speeding tickets than even priests do. Our
culture has grown so obsessed with beauty that we make huge sacrifices and pay
large sums of money to look young and attractive, instead of humbly accepting
the aging process, and growing old gracefully. The beauty business is a billion
dollar industry for a good reason. Sometimes we’re so enamored by beautiful
people, we almost become slaves to them, doing anything not to lose them. I
just finished a short story by D. H. Lawrence called “The Fox.” A very
independent woman named March falls head over heels in love with a dashing
red-headed younger soldier (who both resembles and behaves very much like a
fox). In one very telling line, we read: “When he thought of her dark,
startled, vulnerable eyes, he smiled subtly to himself. He was older than her,
really. He was master of her” (“The Fox,” 23). Do you know any spouses that
sometimes feel more like slaves?
In all these far too common experiences, we forget beauty’s
balance. The need for a personality adorned with the virtues of patience,
mercy, cheerfulness, self-control, and modesty. Beauty should be balanced with
virtue, goodness, and holiness. Indeed, holiness is the best kind of beauty.
It’s the looks that gets them but it’s the personality that keeps them. And
therefore, beauty alone cannot rule the world.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
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