There was once a king of a vast domain. He was shrewd and powerful and feared by all, but no one loved him. Each year, as he became more severe, he became lonelier. His face reflected the bitterness in his soul. There were deep, ugly lines around his mouth, and deep, permanent furrows on his forehead.

But it so happened that in his realm there lived a beautiful girl whom everyone seemed to love. The king wanted to make her his wife, and finally he decided to speak to her of this love. He dressed in his finest robes, but when he looked in the mirror, he saw a cruel, hard face, even when he tried to smile.

Then a thought came to him. He sent for his magician. "Use your greatest skill to paint a mask that looks kind and pleasant and handsome. I will pay any price you ask."

"This I can do," said the magician, "on one condition. You must keep your own face in the same lines that I paint. One angry frown, and the mask will be ruined forever and I cannot replace it. You must think only kindly thoughts and do kindly deeds. You must be gracious to all men."

A man's face portrays what is inside, what he thinks and feels.

So the magic mask was made, and it looked so natural that no one guessed it was not the true face of the king. Months passed, the beautiful lady became his bride, and the king fought hard to keep the mask from breaking. His subjects attributed the miraculous change in the king to his lovely wife, who, they said, had made him like herself.

Eventually the king regretted having deceived his beautiful wife and summoned his magician. "Take away this deceiving mask!" he cried. "It is not my true self!"

"If I do," said the magician, "I can never make another. You will have to wear your own face as long as you live."

"Better so," said the king, "than to continue to deceive one whose love and trust I have won dishonorably. Take it off, I say!"

The magician did as he was commanded.

In anguish, the king turned to see his reflection in his mirror. Suddenly his eyes brightened and his lips curved into a radiant smile. The ugly lines were gone. His face was the exact likeness of the mask he had worn so long. When he returned to his beloved wife, she saw only the familiar features of the man she loved.

Yes, this is only a legend, but it teaches a truth: A man's face portrays what is inside, what he thinks and feels. The wise and true Scripture tells us, "As [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7).

--Author unknown