Unveiled
30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34 but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him. (Exodus 34:30-35)
The time Moses spent with God caused a change in his appearance that frightened the other Israelites. Rather than compromise his relationship with God or the people, Moses chose to remove from view that which would have been a stumbling block to the people hearing God's instruction. Moses could have flaunted his changed visage to emphasize the closeness of his relationship with God and, possibly, to garner the obedience and respect of the people, but he chose humility instead. Moses was grateful for his time with God, and he did not take for granted his position to represent God to the people, and stand in the gap for the people before God.
28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. (Luke 9:28-32)
In an alternative experience, Jesus' face and clothing were transfigured (like Moses, this happened as he was communing with God) as Peter, James, and John fought sleep. But the disciples present did not express fear at what they saw, only a reverence for this new understanding of who Jesus was - and a desire to hold on to the moment. This revelation of Jesus to his closest companions was not spoken of again during Jesus' time on earth. Everyone wasn't ready for the whole picture of Jesus.
Our current culture tells us to shine as brightly as we can, and if anyone is bothered by our shine, that's their problem. But our ways are rarely God's ways. We have as much responsibility to share how God's forgiveness and grace have kept us as we have freedom to express all the ways we are gifted and blessed by God. God does not need us to be perfect Instagram posts - God calls us to be transparent vessels through whom the world can see a reminder that all are known and cherished by God even when we are unfaithful, even when we fail. God's grace is greater than all our sin.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. 1 Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
(1 Corinthians 3:17-4:2)
