I sat across the table from her and we made some small talk while she took my information for her form. In silence, while she typed, I studied her appearance. Outdated hair style. Knobby hands. Wrinkles on her face. Plain clothes. After noticing all the details I concluded that she may have been fairly pretty in her 20's but thirty-some years later she was just average.
And then I thought about the people I know who are so much more physically attractive to me because of how I love them.
I asked God how He saw her. Immediately, before my eyes, her features softened. Her knobby hands suddenly seemed virtuous with hard work and strong with love. I was suddenly struck with how gentle and pretty her smile was. My heart filled with the love her husband, parents, and children felt for her and I thought she was truly beautiful.
It was amazing.
So now, every time I look over someone's appearance and begin assessing all the things they've done wrong or how they've aged poorly I stop myself. I wonder how God sees them and their beauty becomes obvious. Obvious.
How could I have missed it all in the first place?!
4 comments:
What a beautiful post.
I try to remember the same kind of thing when I'm upset with someone, or envious, or mad, or whatever.....that God loves them and I need to treat them as I would treat Jesus if He were standing in front of me. Challenging.
Mother Teresa is a wonderful icon of this...thx for the reminder!
Excellent post. Just a curious thought...have you tried it while looking in the mirror? :)
great post! Thank you for sharing this. I will have to try this with some extended family members. ;)
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