Churchill’s Portrait

Winston Churchill, British prime minister during the Second World War, was serving in his second term when he celebrated his 80th birthday. Graham Sutherland was contracted to do a portrait to honor the famous statesman, and the painting was unveiled in a public ceremony. Churchill detested the portrait, and it was never hung in the Parliament building as originally intended. After he died, his widow destroyed the painting out of respect for her husband, an act that the artist considered to be vandalism.

It is not difficult to imagine the pride or even vanity of a man whose name appears on almost every list of the most influential figures of the past century. Churchill wanted a portrait that would reflect his own self perspective, but the painter depicted the natural characteristics of his advanced age. The subject wanted to be seen as strong and firm, but the artist had a different perception.

It is normal to want to have a positive image in the sight of others, and extremely difficult to see the reality of our own condition. 

The Bible speaks of the danger of having a distorted self-image. One of the greatest risks is to overrate our own ideas: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:7); “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:21). The problem of thinking too highly of ourselves manifests itself when we have trouble accepting instruction and correction.

The person who considers himself wise does not show appropriate respect to the Creator, an attitude that leads to disaster. David wrote of such a person: “There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes...” (Psalm 36:1-2). One who measures himself by his own opinions and not be the Divine standard continues in the filth of sin: “There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness” (Proverbs 30:12).

In a society that values egotistical self-realization, humble submission seems undesirable, but it is precisely the attitude that God requires. When Israel's first king was little in his own eyes, he was chosen and blessed by God (1 Samuel 15:17). But when Saul exalted himself, he sinned against God and was rejected. The apostle Paul warns us to avoid thinking too highly of ourselves (Romans 12:3).

We must also be careful with the portraits others paint of us. If Graham Sutherland had painted an image that pleased the prime minister, flattering the leader with the strokes of his brush, would the portrait have been realistic? Herod Agrippa I made a fatal mistake when he accepted the flattery of his subjects (Acts 12:20-23). Sometimes, other people support what God approves (Romans 14:18), but those who seek the endorsement of men lose God’s approval (Galatians 1:10).

At the end of the day, the only perspective that matters is God’s. Paul said: “For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends” (2 Corinthians 10:18). God does not look at the image we project to other people, nor at the image that appears in our mirrors. He penetrates our thoughts (Psalm 139:1-4). “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give
account” (Hebrews 4:13).

We do not need to be concerned about artists; we need to focus on God and what He thinks, because the only image of us that matters is the one that He sees!

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