Are we readable? I am. Whatever is in my mind is all over my face. I can have a conversation with you without even opening my lips. Eyebrows up. Frowns down. Wide eyed surprise. Mini eyed suspicion. Big smile. Little grin. Pursed lips. Red faced. Pale faced. Head held high. Head bowed. Nose tilted up. Mouth agape. Tears flowing. Stoic stare. Mischief eyes twinkling.
I can carry on that conversation with the rest of my body too – kind of like charades. Rubber neck nation. Hands on hips. Arms folded. Arms flailing. Finger pointing. High fiving. Toe tapping. Jazz hands. Anxious panting. See what I mean?
What do you say when you say nothing at all? What are some of your wordless communications? Hmmm…where do those actions come from? Our expressions reflect what’s inside. Our moods, our thoughts, our attitudes flow out of our bodies through our minds. Oh, I know, some of us are much better at not being readable. Some of us are more composed. Pokerfaced. Not me. You neither? For some of us, try as we may, we cannot hide what we’re feeling inside. Penny for your thoughts kind of people. We’re not alone.
And Jacob began to notice a considerable cooling in Laban’s attitude toward him. (NLT)
At the same time, Jacob noticed that Laban had changed toward him. He wasn’t treating him the same. (MSG)
Jacob also noticed Laban was not as friendly as he had been before. (CEV)
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. (KJV)
Genesis 31:2
Remember this story? Isaac sent Jacob to Laban (his mother’s brother) to find a wife. Jacob worked for 14 years for the woman he loved, Rachel, because of Laban’s trickery – see the tension building? Jacob had a slew of children and as he continued to work for Laban, Laban became a wealthy man. Jacob says hey man I need to make a way on my own and provide for my children. Laban says, oh, don’t leave me, I’ll pay you. What do you want? Jacob asked for the speckled, spotted and dark-colored sheep and goats. Laban said ok. But, Laban again was the trickster. He went out and removed all those he promised from the herd. Jacob continued to take care of Laban’s flocks.
With a little bit of miraculousness involving some shoots and bark, Jacobs flocks increased incredibly and he became a very rich man. Laban’s sons were not happy with Jacob’s prosperity and accused Jacob of robbery. Can you just imagine the looks from Laban’s sons? Daggers. Hands high in the air. Finger pointing. It is at this point that Jacob notices a change in Laban’s countenance, in his mood. Laban wasn’t quite as friendly as he had been – his attitude, his position, his posture, his expressions, his demeanor, his disposition, had cooled considerably, and it was written all over Laban’s face. Jacob read Laban’s face like a book.
Are we just as readable as Laban? Chances are, we are. When I think about that, I make the yikes – ugh face. Why? Because I know what’s in my mind is written on my face and in my actions and I’m not always proud of that. Here’s the thing – it’s not about changing the look on my face or taking my hands off my hips, it’s about changing what’s inside my head – that crazy mind of mine. You got one too. Our brains power our whole bodies. My brain tells me to smile, frown, cry, laugh, clap, dance, point – my brain tells me how to act, based on what’s inside. My mind tells me how to express myself. Does anybody besides me need a good mind renewing – yes, yes you do, I can see it! I’m glad I’m not alone.
So, how do we go about it? We can’t just change. Oh sure, some things we can, but we can’t change our minds without the power of God.
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another. Galatians 5:22-26
Our minds are changed when we allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives. Oh sure, it’s a tug of war sometimes. We want to scowl when we don’t get our way, but we cannot change our body language, our face conversations, our flailing arms, we are powerless to do it alone. Only by remaining in Jesus can we change what we say, by changing what we think. What we think dictates our conversations.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:4-5
If we want our conversations to change – verbal and nonverbal, we must remain in Jesus, under the control of the Holy Spirit. Staying connected to the vine is the only way we can produce the face fruits – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. What’s in our minds is written all over our faces. What’s your face saying?