By Jeremiah Smith
As I walk to work I pass by a cosmetic surgery clinic. They advertise the latest and greatest treatments that promise continued youth and beauty. There`s botox, laser dermatology, lipo-suction etc. If there`s a way to create beauty or remove perceived ugliness then they have the method.
Walking by I`ve continually thought about our societies infatuation with exterior appearances. People try very hard to appear beautiful, going to the measure of surgery to achieve it. Do we not realize the vanity in this pursuit? Within a few quick procedures years can be removed, or perhaps a perfect beauty achieved, yet within us still lies an ugliness that cannot be removed. Our faces may be perfect, but our hearts are corrupt; selfish, greedy, filled with hate or bitterness. Such qualities cannot be changed so easily and as Christians we realize that it is only Christ who can turn ashes into beauty.
My fear however is that the Church has become infatuated with the concept of that cosmetic clinic. As a Church we have become increasingly concerned about the exterior. We gauge success by numbers, wealth and the performance of the worship band. We have tried to create beautiful Churces using the means of the world. It is time that we opt not for botox but for heart surgery! We must come to terms with that ugliness within us for only then can the Spirit of Christ transform us.
