Varnish can mean a superficial polish to conceal some defect or inadequacy. Applied to people, it is the false front one sees all too often projected by politicians and others who desire to look good to the public. It is like beauty that we see, but which is only skin deep. Beauty fades in time and our concept of beauty changes. It is not wrong to enhance the outward appearance to some extent, but it is wrong when the purpose will deceive those who view whatever it is.

Instead of focusing merely on the outside appearance, we should look to what our core contains. It is the true value within us that helps us work for the greater good of all. It is the strengthening and increase of human ability. We paint the surface of many of our goods, but the quality of the product is inside. The lesson is that our appearance is important, but what we do not see is even more important. Don’t always judge what you see by the varnish (James 2:1-9).