To See the Face of God

At church Sunday morning, I had a difficult time paying attention to the sermon. A certain little girl had important things to say. 

"Mama, do you see God's face? I see it when I see the faces of all these people at church. I see God's face even when I close my eyes really tight. I see God's face in everyone I meet. Do you want to know why? Because I love every single person!" (Alia, age 4)

At the movies Sunday night, one line of a song jumped out at me like never before. 

"To love another person is to see the face of God." (Les Miserables)

The world hasn't been quite the same to me, since. How can it be, when I see God everywhere, in every face? How can it be, when I look through the eyes of love? How can it be, when my heart has been reawakened? 

When did I become blind to God in others? Until Sunday, I hadn't realized how closed off my heart had become, how difficult it has been to genuinely care about every human being with whom I come in contact. Chronic pain, illness, and stress has been taking its toll and it has been difficult to get out of my own pain fog to truly connect with others. Getting past the physical and emotional exhaustion to see beyond myself and those immediately around me seems to consume too much of my very limited energy. It took a four year old, and a beloved musical to remind me how sacred every being is.  

"When you look at someone, just look with love, then you'll see that glowy God-spark and you'll know it's God's face, too." (Alia, age 4)

Would that we all seek out the God-spark in others - what a peaceful, loving, better place this world would be.