And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. (Genesis 33:10)
Does anyone remember growing up when you were in someplace reverent and peaceful with your parents, and perhaps you were not acting quite so reverent? Oh, I remember those Sunday mornings when I or my brothers were goofing around and being a bit too loud in church… and the look mom would give us said it all. No doubt we have all seen that look.
Or maybe you have seen someone looking at you with such adoration and love that your heart melted, and you were sure in your heart the love they had for you. In my life I am sure my mother had talent for both looks; others as well. I am most fortunate to know many faces who have looked at me with this love and approval; and I count these as some of my greatest blessings.
In the use of both of these characteristic “looks” I am sure I have developed my own talents. My sons knew when they had been bad. And I never miss a chance to tell them I love them, and I hope they see that also in my eyes. But I think we should all focus on this look of love and acceptance more often. After all the Bible does tell us to “love thy neighbor”. And what if there was a look we could give and receive which reflected the very Spirit of love of God. I have witnessed this. In the eyes of a complete stranger; we had no prior relationship, just a conversation about God’s Love. I can tell you when you have met the Holy Spirit of God through someone’s eyes what you will see and hear and know in every fiber of your being is the simple message of God, “I Love you”.
So, in today’s disconnected and largely electronic social experience we post or twit or snap out our thoughts. Without making a political statement about that I just want to impress upon how important it is to do more posting with “FaceLook”; the idea of spending real quality time in eye contact with someone; the idea of being in the presence and time with one another – simply loving and accepting them for who they are… Hopefully at the same time, you have or are developing your relationship with God so that His facial expressions become more your own. In other words, what you are “faceLook” posting will probably be a reflection of what you are spending time around…? In God’s Grace we all grow to see just how important this is. We must grow to know the Love of God not just for our own wealth and happiness but more so we can share the Love of God with others. And when we get good at this perhaps someone will look back and say, “I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me.”
I pray we all get better at looking at each other with the Love of God that He has shared in your hearts… Perhaps you will take time with someone today; to tell them about God’s Love through FaceLook.
a chaplain