Unfortunately, no one took His photograph.  Had they done so, Jesus wouldn’t have had a prayer recruiting most of his potential followers.  It is hard to imagine western Europeans falling in love with a dark-skinned Savior from the Middle East, especially a Jewish one.

For many centuries, Western Europeans haven’t paid meaningful attention to dark-skinned writers, musicians, painters, architects, teachers, politicians or philosophers.  In fact, they’ve openly discriminated against anyone who didn’t look “European.”  Nor would Jesus have had much of a chance today (“Hey, isn’t he one of those guys who attacked us on 9/11?”). We certainly wouldn’t tolerate any dark-skinned man who told us to give up our extravagant (i.e., suburban) lifestyles.

Because there are no photographs, Believers have had much artistic license to imagine Jesus in comforting ways.  Jesus always resembles the people who believe in Him.  He likes the things they like.  He feels their pain when they don’t get asked out to the prom.  He cries for them when they don’t get that promotion.  He applauds if we finish assembling the best Christmas lighting display on the block (He shouts “Way to Go!” and gives us the thumbs-up.). 

But most strikingly, even though His Believers don’t resemble each other, Jesus physically looks like each of them.  That’s how He looks in their dreams and prayers, as well as in publicly displayed art.