our daily bread

[Dexu Xia]

Faces
 We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory. 2 Corinthians 3:18
When our granddaughter Sarah was very young, she explained to me what happens when you die: “Only your face goes to heaven, not your body. You get a new body, but keep the same face.”
Sarah’s concept of our eternal state was a child’s understanding, of course, but she did grasp an essential truth. In a sense, our faces are a visible reflection of the invisible soul.
My mother used to say that an angry look might someday freeze on my face. She was wiser than she knew. A worried brow, an angry set to our mouths, a sly look in our eyes may reveal a miserable soul. On the other hand, kind eyes, a gentle look, a warm and welcoming smile—despite wrinkles, blemishes, and other disfigurements—become the marks of inner transformation.
We can’t do much about the faces we were born with, but we can do something about the kind of person we’re growing into. We can pray for humility, patience, kindness, tolerance, gratefulness, forgiveness, peace, and love (Galatians 5:22–26).
By God’s grace, and in His time, may you and I grow toward an inner resemblance to our Lord, a likeness reflected in a kind, old face. Thus, as English poet John Donne (1572–1631) said, age becomes “loveliest at the latest day.”  
Lord Jesus, I want to be more like You each day. Help me to cooperate with the work You want to do in my heart.
There’s nothing like the beauty of a loving heart.
面容
我们众人既然敞着脸得以看见主的荣光，好像从镜子里返照，就变成主的形状，荣上加荣。-哥林多后书3章18节
记得孙女莎菈还小的时候，她按自己的理解告诉我人死后的状况，她说：“人死后只有脸会到天堂去，身体并不会。所以我们原来的这张脸，会配上一个新的身体！”
当然，这只是个小孩对于永恒的理解。但莎菈也的确抓住了一个重要的真理。从某方面来说，我们的面容确实会反映出内心的光景。
母亲常说，我那愤怒的表情，有一天可能真的就在我脸上定格了！她实在是太有智慧了！我们脸上的表情，如紧蹙的双眉、愤怒的嘴型、怀疑的眼神，或多或少反应了内心的痛苦。相反地，关爱的眼神、温柔的表情、亲切的微笑，尽管带着皱纹、疤痕，或其他的缺陷，却都是内在生命转变的标记。
我们或许无法大幅改变与生具来的脸孔，但我们却可以选择自己要成为什么样的人。我们可以祷告，求上帝赐给我们谦卑、耐心、恩慈、宽容、感恩、饶恕、和平与仁爱（加拉太书5章22-26节）。
愿你我能靠着上帝的的恩典，按着祂的时间，内心与我们的主越来越相似，让苍老的面容反映出主的恩慈良善。如同英国诗人约翰·多恩所说：“白发苍颜绽放美丽光彩。”
主耶稣，我愿日日更像祢。
求祢帮助我，能配合祢在我心里所要做的工。
最美丽的是一颗充满爱的心！