Outward Appearances

Over the years I have received my fair share of corrective emails from those who read my syndicated column. I write about faith and you know what they say about religion and politics: Those are the two subjects that will most quickly and easily ruin an otherwise delightful dinner party.

But it wasn’t my theology that offended one recent reader. It was my looks. He wrote, “The photo of you above your article totally turned me off. I did not even continue reading. If a so-called representative of Jesus Christ doesn’t care any more about his personal appearance than to roll out of bed and not shave or wash his hair and style it, then surely his viewpoints on life are way off base.

“You should be ashamed of yourself (followed by these 14 exclamation marks) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My prayer for you is that you will come under conviction of the…