How Do You Look?
Have you ever wondered how you look in someone else's eyes? A fair number of people I know keep that concern close in mind as they select the clothes they wear, have their hair done, think about where they might find themselves - and with whom, and even as they choose what fragrance to wear. All that - for what one imagines others might see and perceive.
Truth of the matter? Far more people will see you than you will ever know and, to a great extent, they will draw conclusions about you and who you are more by what you do and how you treat others, than by any personal appearance or attitude you work so carefully to project. Don't believe me? Consider this picture.
Our farming neighbor across the fields, Judy Feig, sent this picture to me last evening. Seems she was outside their home and caught a glimpse of the setting sun reflecting off the barn at my brother's place and just could not pass on taking a picture and sending it to me. Oddly enough, though, Judy told me that the barn appeared as a radiant white to her eye when she captured this image, but her camera saw it somewhat differently, filling the photograph with the golds and shimmering yellows of the sun shining upon it from over ninety-four million miles away.
For the record, the barn is a painted silver tin outer shell over centuries old barn wood. Dad dressed the barn one way in his lifetime, Larry recently added his touch to the scene with silver paint, yet still Judy sees quite another visage. Isn't that the way of life itself?
People see you one way - and so we carefully dress for success, aiming for a certain image. God sees you for who you are, regardless the clothes, the paint or the fragrance. God sees through the outer shell of your being to your soul and assesses your heart over your appearance, your faith rather than your resume, and your commitment in doing instead of your promises. Here the old saying about putting lipstick on a pig applies - no matter how much you put on, it is still a pig. So it is with you and me in the Light of God's Love shining on us: With the naked eye, some may view us as one thing, but who we are in the depths of our humanity will always, always be recognized by the One who knew us before ever we had a thought of dressing ourselves up for others.
Who gave the lilies of the field their beauty? Or called the ocean to reflect the fullness of the sun in its setting moments with such awe? Who set the clouds above the earth in their formations? Or established the mountains in their places?
Look closely at this captivating image lifted up over the course of about half a mile through the fields. This is how you, the complete you, appears before God in every moment. What you want to project, even what others might see in you, is secondary to what God knows of you and your ways, which is a reason to Hope and move forward in Courage. For God is still looking, still loving, still speaking, still granting life in you - if only you have the Peace to trust God's place in your life and walk in God's Way.
Something to ponder on the journey.
Photograph (c)Judy Feig, 2023. Used by permission.
