For example, in the hands of political cartoonists, Richard Nixon became little more than a nose with a face attached to it:
Jimmy Carter was reduced to the sum of his teeth:
And George W. Bush became all ears and eyebrows:
And the net effect of this caricaturing? It draws our eyes so much to the part that we completely overlook the whole.
I realized this week that I sometimes do that with the people of the church. I will remember them for a certain idiosyncrasy or a particular event and will then pigeon-hole them in that place.
He’s like that. Or she did this. And if I am not careful, I subconsciously overlook the caricatures when it comes to looking for volunteer leaders.
That’s why I’m glad I serve with a staff of people who are in tune with the Spirit. Where I see caricature, they see potential.
And so they then select, equip, and deploy some of the unlikeliest of leaders to do the most unprecedented ministry.
Which all seems sort of . . . biblical to me. Isn’t it Samuel who reminds us that while man looks at the outward appearance — in other words, the caricature — God looks at the heart?