Beauty within McPhee

2nd Kings 5:1-14; Luke 10:1-20; Galatians 6:1-16

Central Baptist Church, Lowesville, VA

08 July 2007

Human society has long been obsessed with beauty. Skin care products are not sold to care for skin, but at aids to enhance one’s attractiveness. Clothing is not marketed for sheltering one from the elements, but as a way to attract attention or display beauty. We promote the beautiful and hold contests to weigh the beauty of one over another. Beneath all the fanfare over beauty, however, lies an understanding that true beauty is so much more than the pleasing of the eye. Do we allow superficial definitions of beauty to distract us from beauty of more than passing value?

Naaman was blemished. A great commander respected and valued by his king, he suffered from some skin condition that should have shunned him from society. The king did not want to lose his service through the common shunning practice to keep leprosy at bay, so he sent Naaman to Israel for healing. Perhaps there was more to this envoy than just the healing, as shows in the king of Israel’s words. Perhaps he did also want to pick a fight with Israel. Even so, Elisha intervenes, sending message for Naaman to come discover the presence of a true prophet in Israel.

Naaman arrives at Elisha’s house with all the trappings of wealth and power. He is ready to buy God’s favor with gold, silver, and expensive clothing. Elisha was not impressed with the glitter of gold, power, and beauty. He does not even bother to speak with Naaman. “Wash seven times in the Jordan,” is his word through a messenger. Naaman felt let down. Coming as an emissary of a king, he expected to be treated with deference. His gifts were to be admired with greed and praise, not ignored as futile. Only at the insistence of his servants did he stoop to heed the prophet’s words in humility. Only at the final moment of humble submission did the true beauty of Yahweh’s grace and cleansing become visible. Setting aside earthly expectations to allow Yahweh room to work, Naaman glimpsed the true value and beauty of God’s blessings. Do we allow worldly expectations to interfere with the beauty of God’s gifts?

In Nanny McPhee,^[1] the family of a widower finds its last hope in the ministrations of Nanny McPhee, after seventeen other nannies have been run off by the antics of the unruly children. In a desperate plight to secure child care, the father accepts the services of a gruesome-looking Nanny McPhee, who mysteriously appears and takes her charges in hand. She will stay while needed and unwanted, leaving when wanted and no longer needed. As the children begin accepting her directions, they find her more and more beautiful until what seemed gruesome becomes beautiful in their eyes. Her lessons are the simple things like going to bed, dressing, and rising when told, and saying “Please” and “Thank you.” Behind this simplicity, however, lies a great wealth of responsible action. Does the simplicity of the gospel impede us from humble submission and faithful service to God?

As Paul writes the Galatian believers, he calls them to account for their actions in God’s service. He has been writing all along against the encroaching legalism by those preaching circumcision. He casts such as self-protective rather than serving the gospel. At the same time, he is very concerned with a faith that reveals itself in action. While not overly concerned with critiquing another’s error, Paul is adamant that each is to pull one’s own weight. Paul applies this ethic to the whole of gospel living. This pulling one’s own weight includes a caring for the rest of the body.

Paul speaks first of those restoring those struggling with temptation, but expands his comments to include each individual’s own struggle with living in purity. Each must assume his responsibility for the financial needs of the congregation, as well. At this point, Paul examines the aims of living, whether sowing for eternal rewards or merely the rewards of this present life. Yet sowing for eternal reward is not just about finances, it is about ministering Christ Jesus by any and all means.

Paul reminds them of his own suffering for advancing the reign of Christ Jesus, as an example of the importance of the mission. Paul had given his life to advancing the cause of Christ as his only worthy ambition. Becoming a new creation in Christ had become all-important, such that in Christ he had become crucified to the world, suffering shame and persecution from many hands. He would not allow others to play his part, nor was he interested in downplaying the value of each believer taking up the cause of Christ with him. Are we too willing to allow others to pull our weight under the cause of Christ Jesus?

The children under Nanny McPhee’s charge were engaged in warfare against submitting to those placed in charge over their lives. Physically beautiful children, their attitudes and action cast them in an ill light. Only when they became willing to exchange the beauty of their control over their caretakers for responsible submission, did their beauty begin to shine through. Before this could happen, they had first to accept responsibility for their actions and consider their roles in serving as members of their family and community. Does our perception of salvation focus on its benefits to exclusion of responsibility and service to God?

Jesus sent seventy on a heralding mission to prepare the way for his arrival in various places. In the mission presented to them, they were to place their all in the hands of God. God would provide for their needs. God would open doors of hospitality. God would grant them all necessary authority to accomplish the task at hand, even over evil spirits. Anxieties over such mundane needs were to be left in God’s care, as they struck out to fulfill the mission at hand.

There was much distraction and wonder on their return. “Lord, even the demons were subject to us under your authority.” Should we be surprised? And yet they were, as are we when God provides resources to enable our service. God did not want anything to interfere with the mission. God would see to that. All he required of these was faithful service with the simple task of announcing what God was doing. To Jesus, the report of circumstances was not noteworthy. The important things were that they fulfilled the task and that they were included in God’s reign.

They were not charged with converting the masses, nor did Jesus attribute them responsibility for the people’s response. Each was responsible for and only for his own actions. Along with Chorazim and Bethsaida, we are held accountable for how we respond to the call for faithful service. This is where we find our place in God’s reign, after all. Are we contributing actively to the mission of Christ Jesus?

The disciples learned true beauty comes not in power or looks. Beauty is of character and those intangibles not quite as obvious at first glance. There is great beauty in learning obedience, submission, trust, and responsibility. Beauty is not about moles, warts, and other skin-deep issues. As in Nanny McPhee, when character rises to meet the real purpose of living true beauty shines like magic. Are we willing to allow the beauty of serving Christ to become the undistracted reality of our lives?

—©2007 Christopher B. Harbin

¹ “Nanny McPhee”, Universal Studios, ©2005, Universal City, CA.