Our faces tell a story of what is going on inside us with our emotions and feelings. Our variety of expressions are possible because there are 55 muscles that God has created uniquely in humans. Primate apes like chimpanzees have a very limited array of facial expressions. Jerry Bergman writes,
“It is estimated that humans can make and discern 10,000 different facial expressions, and many of these are universally found in all cultures, indicating that they are a built-in, designed means of communication” 1
When someone is unhappy, others can usually tell by the facial expression. We sometimes use an expression about the emotions people reveal when we say, “He’s wearing his feelings on his sleeve.” But it is the face that is the real indication of a person’s emotional state along with what may be said. It is a combination of the cheeks, the mouth and lips, the eyes, and so much more.
In the same paper mentioned above Bergman provides a list of emotions from researcher Paul Ekman as follows:
1. Joy or happiness shown by raising the mouth corners to produce a smile, and a tightening of the eyelids.
2. Surprise symbolized by raising the eyebrows, opening eyes wide to expose the eye whites and dropping the jaw slightly.
3. Sadness symbolized by lowering the mouth corners, descending the eyebrows to the inner corners, and drooping the eyelids.
4. Anger shown by lowering the eyebrows, pressing the lips firmly together and the eyes slightly bulging.
5. Disgust symbolized by raising the upper lip, and wrinkling the nose bridge and cheeks.
6. Fear shown by raising the upper eyelids, opening the eyes wide, and stretching lips horizontally.
7. Contempt symbolized by tightening up half of the upper lip using the Risorius muscle, and often tilting the head slightly back.
Note another significant difference between humans and apes is the fact that apes do not have the whites of the eyes. Yes, we are “Fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:14).
Giant Flood, Giant Rocks, Giant Wonder On a recent trip to Northern Ireland, my family had the opportunity to visit one of her greatest natural wonders: Giant’s
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Everyone has a worldview, and every worldview has questions that it must answer. The truth will naturally produce the best and most sensible answers, and the Bible does just that.
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