Does A Person's Look Matter?

Posted by Scott Williams
16 Comments
August 18, 2009
Controversy | Sports

Mangino_t620I’m going to get straight to the point and ask this oh so important question; the question is “Does A Person’s Look Matter?”  As I’m typing this post, I asked that question out loud and my 10 year old son decided to answer the question.  His response was “What do you mean, is it like when I have a friend that kinda looks like a nerd, but he’s actually cool and doesn’t look like he acts?”  EXACTLY!

This is a question that many people don’t want to publicly ask; however we are going to tackle this question from the perspective a person’s look affecting their potential for success.  Does a person’s look affect their potential for success in a partiucular role?  I know this may seem like a shallow discussion; but I’ve experienced the realness of this question while being on the interviewer side of interview panels over the last 16 years.  

A person’s look mattering does not always correlate to attractiveness or beauty, but rather a particular type of  look.  Is this person hip, old, relevant, youthful, attractive… do they match our brand our image etc.  These questions are unfortunately or fortunately very real!  Kansas University Football Coach Marc Mangino (shown in above photo) has experienced the answer to this question first hand.  There is generally more discussion about his weight, then there is about his success or the fact that he can flat out coach.

I am going to list several scenarios pertaining to that question and would like for you just to read along and answer the questions in your head.  Begin every scenario with the following question: 

Does A Person’s Look Matter?

  • If they are a Senior Pastor, Worship Pastor or Youth Pastor?
  • If they are a News Anchor?
  • If they are a Head Coach?
  • If they are a Receptionist?
  • If they are a CEO?
  • Fill in the blank…

Does A Person’s Look Matter?  Should it?  Chime In!

  • http://seewest.blogspot.com SeeWest

    Hmmm… this is a hard one, at least to be honest with. I would say yes, appearance does matter. No matter who we come into contact with we are making judgments and have perceptions (whether right or wrong) way before we ever talk to him/her. In fact, there are professionals who are trained to make accurate assessments of particular individuals without even talking to that person. It is natural, automatic. However, we must learn/train/discipline ourselves to shut off the natural and reprogram our minds to dig below the surface.

  • http://www.coreworship.com muzakmaniac75

    First of all, I just want to say thanks for using my picture at the beginning of this post. I’m thoroughly insulted.

    Now that I’ve got your attention, I digress. That is NOT my picture. :)

    I am however an overweight worship pastor and I DO feel that appearance matters. I have no question that I would be more effective if I were more fit. God has been dealing with me about one fruit of the Spirit in particular, self-control.

    I’m afraid that a person’s initial reaction (even subliminally) to someone overweight in ministry is that of aversion. There is an inclination to feel that there is an issue with self-control. If that IS perceived as a problem with that person, their effectiveness in ministry is compromised.

  • http://www.neshaminyfootball.com Bob

    My teen son has seen 4 counselors over the years. His current counselor is quadriplegic and uses a motorized chair. His legs and arms are withered. Yet, he has gotten through to Nathan better than anyone else. Nathan loves going to see this man. Every other counselor was chore to get him to go see, but not with Dr Edwardo. His appearance is not typical for a man known as a brilliant mind but that is what he has. And maybe his own past deep struggles are what him to be so effective with kids that need help.If he looked completely normal, he’d be much less effective with Nathan. Nate respects what the man has been thru and is willing to hear his words of wisdom.

  • http://scottgould.me Scott Gould

    Hi All,

    I love the honesty of the comments here.

    I always think of Joseph, who in Gen 41:14 “shaved and changed his clothes, came before pharoah”

    I definitely think a person’s looks matter. We would never put up with someone whose language was foul, and messy looks is foul.

    By looks, however, I do mean that you have to do the best with what you have. I don’t expect people to all be dressed like models – but I do expect you body to covered neatly and nicely, your hair combed, your breath fresh, your clothes ironed, etc.

    All these things are someone being courtesy to the others who have to look at them.

    And as humans, we respond to sight as one of our 5 senses.

  • http://thechristianatheist.com TheChristianAtheist

    I like what Jesus looked like…

    Isaiah 53
    1 Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

    2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
    He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

    3 He was despised and rejected by men,
    a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
    Like one from whom men hide their faces
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

    I think looks matter to people… but when God looks, He see’s the heart…

  • http://www.artgood.org artgood

    I agree with the previous commenter – looks matter to people, which is a catch-22 because ministry is interaction with people.

    I’m a 35 year old youth pastor. I’m never going to “look” like a 25 year old youth pastor again. My clothes good, but not youthful. My look is clean and presentable, but not “cool.” I’m overweight, but running to lose it.

    There are some things I can control about my appearance, but in context there are some things I can’t do anything about. So far, it hasn’t affected my connection with the students.

  • http://michellegeorge.net Michelle George

    yes, it does matter if it is something you can control and if it is something that is a manifestatrion of your rebellion against God’s control and ownership of your life and your body. I know becasue this is something I am struggling to gain control of at the moment. I am a high capacity type person, I want to be a great represenative of our Lord God…but I can’t while I continue to allow food to be the controlling factor. It’s hypocritical and counterproductive. My body does not match what is coming out of my mouth.

  • http://theoldblackchurch.blogspot.com/ Ann Brock

    Scott great question and for me it does matter.

  • http://dennismuse.com/wpblog/ Dennis Muse

    Whether one knows it or admits to it or not it is a fact Looks Do Matter. Both ABC & CBS 60min did research proving people discriminate according to looks, even in their hiring of employees and even with juror in deciding guilt, and of course dating. They used two super models (guy & girl) against two average looking people, the two models always got better treatment, job offers and dates over the other two.

    One only has to open their eyes to see good looking people always get the advantage, especial in dating.

  • Carrie

    I don’t think a person’s physical appearance should matter, but it does (unfortunately). However, the way someone dresses does matter. Especially in regards to being taken seriously and trying to find a job. Because a person who takes care of themselves (combs their hair, dresses modestly, etc.) shows that they value themselves as a person. Now, does God care how we look? As long as it’s not self-destructive, I don’t think so. God loves us just the way we are.

  • http://www.twitter.com/marcmillan Marc Millan

    Hi everyone:
    Good stuff here, some people being honest, some people in denial.
    1 Corinthians 6:19 – My Body is a Temple for God to work through, I can take really good care of it or I can be lazy about it. That’s Truth IN love. Bill Hybels once said “Lazy body leads to a lazy mind” this has a lot of unknown parameters to it but I can tell you in ministry it can make a huge difference. In Christmas or Easter when I was doing 13 services I had a LOT more energy then some of my peers, so being in shape ALLOWS more action to be taken, take that for what it’s meant.
    Should I judge you by your outward appearance? Not your skin color, but if you “look” sloppy, if you “look” lazy can you prove me other wise on a firtst impression? That’s tough folks.
    And for Worship leaders. We are the LEADERS. Speed the of the leader, speed of the team, we MUST lead by example. Thank the Heavens Jesus was healthy enough to carry that cross for my sins and get it done yo!
    Say word up.

  • http://www.thevenders.com nicky

    of course things like clean clothes, not reeking of bad B.O. and combing your hair once in a while are important. but the looks you were born with should not matter. i think it is a shallow battle that most of us face to not judge someone based on how they look. my one year old daughter has special needs and may not be able to ever walk or talk or even hold her own head up. will she look different than most of us? yes. but will she be any less beautiful to me and most importantly to Jesus? of course not. she is the most beautiful creation of an amazing God.

  • http://iambendavis.com iambendavis

    Yes. Looks do matter.

  • http://cyndiakadisneyqueen.blogspot.com/ DisneyCyndi

    Wow, is all I can say. In answer to your question….yes, its does seem to matter in those particular circumstances. But it shouldn’t matter. I agree with Nicky.

  • rjsweatman

    How do I express this, If we start as a culture of Christians trying to justify our actions by saying things like looks matters then we are just justifying sin. We are not to judge. “Judge not lest ye be judged.” Matthew 7:1 or I love this one. John 7:24 “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” We use the fact that we all know the world looks out the outside and judges based on looks as an excuse for us to do the same. Yet we all know as Christians we are held to a standard that states we should never look at the outside but at the inside. We fear people so we like to judge them. It allows us to set up walls before we ever have to talk to them. Yet as Christians we are to be looking past what we see to who they are. How many people have we ran into that are, as Tolkin says, “looks foul and seems fair.” Their outward seemings do not match the inward man. If we hold the the idea that looks are the point should not our focus be to look good instead of being good. We are being made into something that only God knows. Our desire first must be to attain that not to attain looks for looks would imply that the point of our lives are rapped up in what we experience down here instead of what we know we shall revel in up there. The temporal man says I must look good the eternal man says I must look up.

  • http://one-church.com MattNer

    I must say i completely agree with rjsweatman. To build a consensus about someone based only upon superficial attributes is completely bogus. I feel that this can be a dangerous slippery slope to go to. If we start to justify feelings of inadequacies based on Clothing, weight, hair, status symbols like cars, houses and other such things, I feel its just time before we start to justify larger things like race, sex and disabilities. It’s my desire in life to be as Christ like as possible, and the people Christ he seemed to be around were not the shiniest coins in the bag. Fishermen, Tax Collectors and other such not highly regarded individuals in society and yet the people that society clung to the Pharisees and Sadducees are the ones he denounced, calling them white washed tombs and pit of vipers. As a Christ follower I hope that I can learn to see beyond whats on the outside and see whats really on the inside. I cant help what people think of me but, only what i think of others. For those who must put on a superficial facade just so they think people will respect or like them. I feel sad for there heart. Because then they are only living to the worlds standard not Christ’s. Its not often a white guys quotes Martin Luther King but, i think he said it best when he said “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin (and anything else her you want looks, clothing, status symbols)BUT BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR THEIR CHARACTER”. And thats my 2 cents….LOL

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