Happiness Is An Oily Beard

OPEN: When Abraham Lincoln was running for President in 1860, he received a letter from an 11-year-old girl that some believe helped get him elected President. The young girl urged him to grow a beard because she believed it would hide the homeliness of his face and improve his chances. Lincoln wasn't offended. He answered her letter personally and thanked her for her suggestion, furthering adding that he’d like to visit with her should his campaign come to her area. And he began to grow a beard. On the day that Lincoln’s campaign train was scheduled to pass through the town practically the whole town was assembled at the station. There were the leading Republicans wearing their top hats, a marching band, and townsfolk in their finest attire. Almost everyone was there... all except the little girl. She was left home. Her father reasoned, Lincoln would be interested only in the politicians and their speeches - the votes and the voters – not the attentions of a little girl. It just so happened, however, that as the campaign train approached the town, it was forced to stop for repairs. Not wanting to just sit around in the train, Lincoln set off across the field in search of the little girl’s home. When Lincoln introduced himself at the door, the maid was speechless. But the little girl and her playmate, the maid’s daughter, welcomed him in as if they were expecting him. The two girls had been having a pretend party, drinking pretend hot chocolate out of their small teacups and they invited Mr. Lincoln to join them. After a while, Lincoln said he must be going, thanked them for the party, and asked them how they liked his new beard. Then he walked to the waiting train… and it started on its way. Then the train went right through the town without stopping. Right past all the dignitaries, politicians, marching band, and right past ladies and gentlemen in their Sunday best. Because Lincoln had come to visit and to say thank you to a little girl. (Conrad Hyers, “And God Created Laughter”)

A beard made the difference.

In our text today we read “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” Psalm 133:1-3

What caught my attention about that Psalm was the emphasis on UNITY. That was the very first verse of the Psalm. But then I read that unity was like the precious oil running down the beard of Aaron and I got confused. What has oil got to do with the unity of God’s people? One preacher noted that “the image has always struck me as kind of messy! When I anoint the sick with oil, I usually apply a small amount; here the image is that of a large quantity, running down on Aaron’s beard and robes. You wonder whether it would come out in the wash!” (Robert Leroe)

But, God seems to have thought there was something here we needed to see.

But before get to that, we need to remember that this Psalm is all about UNITY. “How good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. Unity among His people is highly prized by God. In fact, one of the last things Jesus prayed before His crucifixion, was: “that all of them may be one Father, just as you are in me and I am in you... May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23

Later, Paul wrote to the church: “I… urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:1-6

God saved us to be ONE people, filled with ONE Spirit, having ONE hope. ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of all.

This UNITY thing is so highly prized that God hates those “… who sows discord among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:19) In other words: If you say nasty things TO or ABOUT fellow Christians - Don’t Do It! Don’t go there!!! GOD HATES THAT! IT ANGERS HIM!