Leviticus 13

The regulations in this chapter concern skin diseases, which isn't exactly a topic you'd necessarily want to discuss around the dinner table. (Feel free to discuss it all you want around the breakfast or lunch table, though; I won't object.) Skin problems can be unsightly and embarrassing, as all of us who have suffered through acne as teenagers know full well. A few times in the chapter, God says, "it is only a rash" (verse 6) or "it is only a scar from the burn" (verse 28), but rashes, scars and burns are still rather untoward, even if they don't turn out to be communicable or deadly.

I suppose a good portion of the Earth's population wants to have complexions as flawless as magazine and TV supermodels, even though we know that there's a whole lot of makeup, airbrushing, and Photoshop going on. The fashion and makeup industry delights in this desire, of course, and further reinforce it with ads and commercials claiming, "You too can look as fake as a porcelain doll!" As a guy, I have to admit that my only experience with makeup was when I acted in school plays in elementary school. We had to wear lipstick, cheek rouge, and that old favorite, eyeliner. In fact, I remember one miscreant putting on enough eyeliner to shame a raccoon, to the consternation of the play's director. I thought I looked like an idiot with all that makeup, though of course I also looked like an idiot without makeup, so I don't know why I cared.

Although all of us boys looked like clowns, I remember thinking that the girls did look prettier. I know that I shouldn't "judge a book by its cover," but I still find certain people physically attractive and certain people (like myself) not so much. I'd like to think that I base my opinions of people more on their actions and personalities than on their appearances, but I still have a ways to go.

That was a bit of a tangent, so I'll try to get back to some actual observations from the chapter. Verse 49 characterizes defiling molds as "greenish or reddish" in color. Not only do I appreciate the translators' use of the suffix "-ish," but these are cheerful Christmas colors as well. So the next time Christmas rolls around and you see all the festive, vivid decorations, just think "defiling molds."

Finally, verse 40 says, "A man who has lost his hair and is bald is clean." Thank God for that.