왜 외모를 Why Appearance?

왜 외모를 Why Appearance? 오래전 대한 항공 비행기로 한국을 방문하는데 여러 명의 여자 승무원 얼굴이 너무나 비슷하여 분간하기가 어려웠다. 이들은 모두 성형 수술을 받은 자로서 수술하기 전 몇 가지 형태 중에 하나를 고르는데 이들이 같은 형태를 선택하였던 것이다. 보이는 것이 외모이기에 승객에게 보기 좋은 얼굴로 기분을 좋게 만드는 것이다. 사살 보이는 것이 외모이기에 누구나 이에 치중한다. 이민 초창기 한 가정은 어머니를 모시고 단간방을 얻어 살고 있는데 방문하여 앉을 자리가 없을 정도였지만 아들은 캐딜락을 사고 차에서 밤에 잠을 자고 있었다. 왜 그럴까? 외모를 보고 평가하는 사람들에게 잘 보이기 원하는 것이지만 지만 실상은 나타나지 않는 것이다. 사무엘이 하나님의 사람으로 타락한 사울을 대신하여 왕을 예선하고자 이새의 집에 보냄 받고 이새는 아들들을 준비시켜 하나씩 면접하도록 사무엘 앞에 세운다. 첫 아들 엘리압을 보며 그 키나 용모가 왕이 되기에 충분한 것 같다고 생각하는데 여호와 하나님은 이미 그를 버렸다 하신다 사람은 외모를 보지만 여호와는 중심을 보신다. 처음부터 일곱째까지 전부가 왔으나 하나님은 적절한 자자가 없다고 하신다. 외모를 보아 모두 손색이 없어 보이기에 사무엘로서는 선택하기가 쉽지 않지만 하나님은 모두에게 아니라 하신다. 사람은 외모를 보고 판단하고 결정한다. 예수께서 제자들과 함께 식사에 초대 받은 때 그들이 손을 씻지 않았기에 그 손으로 먹는 음식을 부정하다고 바리새인들이 비평한다. 예수께서는 씻지 않는 손으로 먹는 음식이 사람을 부정하게 하는 것이 아니라 속에서 나오는 것이 사람을 더럽게 한다 곧 속에서 나오는 것은 악한 생각 음란 도둑질 살인 간음 탐욕 악독 속임 방탕 질투 비방 교만 우매함이라 (막7:21,22) 이런 것들이 사람을 더럽게 한다고 하신다. 외모를 보지만 이런 것은 보이지 않는다. 만일 이런 것들을 본다면 어떻게 누가 그들 가운데 살 수가 있을까? 그러기에 속에 썩은 시체가 있어 더러운 냄새 나는 무덤을 장식하고 꽃을 두어 아름답게 꾸미고 있다. 사람은 꾸며진 외모를 보고 만족하고 좋아할 수 있다. 결혼하고 가정을 이루면 외모 보다는 속 사람이 중요한 것을 안다. 결혼할 때는 외부 조건에 끌리는 경우가 많지만 결혼한 사람 남여100명을 대상으로 조사하니 여자는 20명이 만족하나 남자는 오직 3명이 만족하고 있다고 하니 가정의 현실이 어떤가를 보여준다. 반대로 외모는 부족하나 속사람이 진국인 경우는 어떠할까? 이새는 사무엘에게 말한다. 아직 막내가 있기는 하나 그는 양을 치고 있다고 한다. 막내는 마지막이지만 막난이라 볼 가치도 없다는 의미도 있다. 사무엘은 그를 데려 오라 그가 오기 전에는 음식을 먹지 않겠다고 한다. 그가 오니 빛이 붉고 눈이 빼어나고 얼굴이 아름다웠다. 여호와 하나님은 내가 이새의 아들 다윗을 만나니 마음에 합한 사람이라 내 뜻을 다 이루리라 하신다. 하나님은 다윗의 중심을 보시고 선택하고 이스라엘의 위대한 역사를 이루게 하신 것이다. 그런데 왜 사람은 외모를 보게 되나? 속을 보면 이미 언급한 많은 더러운 것이 나타나니 누구와 가까이 하기도 어렵지만 자기 스스로에게도 그런 모습을 보면서 실망하고 좌절하며 위선을 부릴 것이다. 그러기에 하나님은 사람에게 중심을 보지 않고 보이는 외모에 관심을 가지게 하여 외모를 장식하여 아름다움으로 알고 기쁨을 누리며 살게 하시는 것 같다. 그러나 부족한 사람이라도 함께 지나며 서로를 알고 조정하며 조화를 추구하는 것도 주께서 원하시는 바라 우리에게 많은 여유와 희망 믿음과 인내를 하게 하시니 이로서 주를 찬양한다. Why Appearance? Many years ago, when I was traveling to Korea on a Korean Air flight, I noticed that the faces of several female flight attendants looked so much alike that it was difficult to tell them apart. They had all undergone plastic surgery, and before the surgery they had chosen one of several possible facial types. Apparently, they had chosen the same type. Because appearance is what people see, they wanted to present pleasant faces to passengers and make them feel good. Since appearance is what can be seen, everyone tends to place great importance on it. In the early days of immigration, I once visited a family who lived with their mother in a tiny one-room apartment. There was hardly enough space even for me to sit down. Yet their son had bought a Cadillac and was sleeping in the car at night. Why would he do such a thing? He wanted to look successful in the eyes of people who judged others by their appearance. But the reality of his life was hidden from view. When Samuel, as a man of God, was sent to the house of Jesse to choose a new king to replace Saul, whom God had rejected, Jesse brought his sons before Samuel one by one. When Samuel saw Eliab, the firstborn, he thought that his height and appearance were surely suitable for a king. But the LORD had already rejected him. God told Samuel, “People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” All seven of Jesse's older sons appeared before Samuel, but God said that none of them was the one He had chosen. From their outward appearance, they all seemed well qualified, so it must have been difficult for Samuel to understand why God rejected them all. Yet God was looking at something that Samuel could not see. People naturally judge and make decisions based on outward appearance. When Jesus was invited to eat with His disciples, the Pharisees criticized them because they ate without first washing their hands. They considered the food they touched with unwashed hands to be defiled. But Jesus taught that it is not what enters a person from the outside that defiles him. Rather, it is what comes from within. He said that from within, from the human heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness (Mark 7:21–22). These are the things that truly defile a person. We look at outward appearance, but these things are invisible. If we could see all of them in one another, how could anyone live closely with another person? It is like a tomb containing a decaying body and giving off a foul smell, while the outside of the tomb is decorated with flowers and made beautiful. People see the decorated exterior and may be pleased with it, without knowing what is inside. When people marry and establish a family, however, they gradually discover that the inner person is more important than outward appearance. At the time of marriage, people are often attracted by outward conditions—appearance, possessions, education, social position, and other visible qualities. Yet one survey of one hundred married men and women reportedly found that only twenty women were satisfied with their marriages, while only three men were satisfied. Whether or not those exact numbers are reliable, they certainly remind us of the realities that can emerge within a family. But what about a person whose outward appearance is lacking while the inner person is truly valuable? Jesse told Samuel that there was still his youngest son, but he was out tending the sheep. He was the last of the sons and apparently was not even considered important enough to be brought to the gathering. Samuel said, “Send for him. We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” When David came, he was described as having a healthy, ruddy appearance, beautiful eyes, and a handsome face. But what mattered most was not what Samuel saw with his eyes. The LORD saw David's heart. God chose David because he was a man after His own heart, and through David He accomplished His purposes in Israel and brought about a great part of Israel's history. Then why do human beings focus so much on outward appearance? Perhaps if we could see everything inside a person, we would discover many of the ugly things already mentioned. It might become difficult even to draw close to one another. And when we saw such things within ourselves, we might become disappointed and discouraged with ourselves and be tempted to hide behind hypocrisy. Perhaps, therefore, God has allowed us to live by what can be seen rather than by constantly seeing the deepest parts of one another's hearts. We decorate our appearance, appreciate beauty, and find joy in what is pleasant to see. Yet even when people are imperfect, living together, getting to know one another, adjusting to one another, and seeking harmony are also things the Lord desires for us. Through this, He teaches us to have greater generosity, hope, faith, and patience. For all of this, we praise the Lord.