God has developed such a compassionate heart in some people that they can clearly see the face of Christ in every person they encounter. (I think of Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity, and how they see Jesus in every poor person they minister to in Calcutta. Or Saint Francis kissing the leper.)
Not so with me. When I look at others, I usually see myself. I treat them as mirrors, and look at them to see how I appear, or what they have for me, or how they will treat me. When I do see them, it is rare that I see Christ! I mean, really – look at how they act, what they are wearing, what they are saying! How is that Jesus?
If I work really hard at it, if I remind myself that I am supposed to see Jesus in other people, then I can muster up a bit of love, some fellow feeling and compassion. Were someone to be rude to me, however, I think it would evaporate in a heartbeat. On those occasions when my own image recedes and I actually see the person in front of me – those are good days. I want more of those days.
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| Girl Before a Mirror (Picasso) |
Paul says (1 Cor 13:12) that we only see “but a poor reflection as in a mirror” (NIV); some translation say “as in a mirror, dimly,” or as many of us have heard it, “through a glass darkly” (KJV). I wonder if that doesn’t mean the only way we can see God is through other people. We need to learn to see him there, no matter how flawed the reflection. Paul goes on to say, “now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
When we see other people, we rarely see them as they really are – we mostly see ourselves. We don’t “know” them. When I do come to know and like someone (particularly if I like how they are to me) I might be able to “see” Jesus in him or her. But it’s a struggle to see Jesus in strangers, in people who get in my way, or make me uncomfortable. What would be thrilling to me would be to learn to see people as “lovely” even without knowing anything about them, just because God loves them. That would be like seeing God.
One day we will be able to see God face to face. I believe on that day we also will be able to see others as they truly are. No more mirrors! We will not only know and be known by God, but we will be able to know each other. Until then, I'll just have to keep trying.
