Face to Face

This past week I had a moment of joy that I didn’t expect. I pulled up to my usual Starbucks and stuffed my mask into my pocket just in case. It was time to trade in my Pfizer double shot for one of the espresso variety. I glanced at the door to be certain that I wasn’t breaking any store policies by walking in maskless. I wasn’t. I walked inside. As I made my way to the counter, I saw the store manager and she looked at me with a big smile and said, “Hey, Matt.”

It wasn’t her words that stopped me, it was that I could see her face. After many months of shouting to each other past plexiglass, all while masked and competing with the din of a coffee shop, we had a moment of Zen together.

A Glorious Mirror

Throughout the scriptures, faces are given special attention. While there are hundreds of references in the Bible, here are just a few basic examples where they are mentioned:

• In Genesis 4:6, God addresses Cain’s body language: “The the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?”
• King David writes, “For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.” (Psalm 11:7)
• Matthew’s account of Jesus’ transfiguration includes, “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” (Matthew 17:2)
• The Apostle John once wrote, “I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.” (3 John 1:13)