PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

March 20, 2022

TWO SIDES

The Wall Street Journal for February 19/20 had an interesting article –Two Sides of a President in one Photo – about a picture of Abraham Lincoln that was taken by Alexander Gardner shortly before Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.  The one photo depicts two aspects of Lincoln personality.  “Take a vertical strip of paper and cover first one side of the face, then the other; the difference is startling.  Lincoln’s left visage (to the viewer’s right) seems bemused, the mouth curling into a smile, the eye rolling upward as if in mock dismay.  From the other half comes a hard stare and tight-lipped frown, determined if not grim.” (The Wall Street Journal, February 19/20, 2022)

Mark Twain in The Innocents Abroad shares the observation of two very intelligent critics of Murillo’s “Immaculate Conception.”  “One said: ‘Oh, the Virgin’s face is full of the ecstasy of a joy that is complete – that leaves nothing more to be desired on earth?’”

                “The other said: ‘Ah, that wonder face is so humble, so pleading – it says as plainly as words could say it: “I fear; I tremble; I am unworthy.  But Thy will be done; sustain Thou thy Servant!”’”

“The reader can see the picture in any drawing room; it can be easily recognized: the Virgin (the only young and really beautiful Virgin that was ever painted by one of the old masters, some think) stands in the crescent of the new moon, with a multitude of cherubs hovering about her, and more coming; her hands are crossed upon her breast, and upon her uplifted countenance falls a glory of the heavens.  The reader may amuse himself, if he chooses, in trying to determine which of these gentlemen read the Virgin’s ‘expression’ aright or if either of them did it.” (The Innocents Abroad, A Signet Classic, p. 139)

Within the space of five verses in the sixteenth chapter of Matthew we find Jesus giving two dramatically different descriptions of Peter.  Following Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus says, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah!  For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:17b, 18)

In verse 16 Jesus began to prepare his disciples for what is to take place in Jerusalem.  In response Peter took Jesus aside and “began to rebuke him, saying ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’” (Matthew 16:22b, 23)

The above illustrations are a reminder that persons are complex, having at least two sides to their personalities, which make it difficult to interpret and describe them.  To fully understand Lincoln we must look at both the merry and the morose side of his personality.   In the gospels we can find examples of where Peter is a man of strength and discernment and we can find examples of where Peter is weak and lacks understanding.

The second illustration points out that in trying to understand others one bring one’s own prejudices and frame of reference.  Very often what we say about others really says more about us than it does about the other.  It is possible to find fault in the best of persons and goodness in the worst of persons.  Very few people are either black or white.