And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. – John 1:14
It is a curious thing that none of the Apostles gave a description of Jesus’s appearance. We do not know whether he was tall or short, light or dark, brown eyed or blue. The only real clue we get about His looks are found in Isaiah 53:2 wherein we learn that he was not going to be attractive by worldly standards. The prophet wrote, “when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.”
Even a limited study of the history of art, fashion and beauty reveal that our standards change from generation to generation. What’s beautiful now may not appeal to people 100 years and vice versa. Such standards are fickle and changeable based on shifts in tastes and preferences. However, the Bible tells us that God changes not. He is consistent, and His ways are not our ways. Most importantly, the Lord looks upon the heart and not the outward appearance. Thus, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Savior was laid not in a grand bed of gold and jewels upon a pillow of silk. Rather, after being born in a barn, the Son of God was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in the only available space not upon the floor, a feeding trough or manger.
The lowly birth of the Messiah may seem sad, and it certainly did not reflect His worthiness of adoration in our eyes. However, we should remember that there would be no beauty in Him to attract people out of physical attraction. Completely sinless and free of any flaw, Jesus Christ was nevertheless an average looking man. What distinguished the Lord was His grace and wisdom. The Spirit that was upon Jesus was what demonstrated His glory. So much the better.
As you seek to find the true meaning of Christmas, remember that many people will be caught up in the lights and festivities, the food and the presents. These same people may love some of the popular aspects of the Christian faith, but we should not be surprised when they turn their nose up at the less attractive truths of the Gospel like sin and repentance. As always, it is better to trust in the Lord with all your might and lean not upon your own understanding.