Seeing the face of God

So, yesterday I was cleaning my room and I found some papers from my psych class. I was about to throw them away, because I didn't need them anymore, when I found this quote that I wrote on one of the papers. I don't remember where it came from or why I wrote it down, but I liked it. A lot. This was it:

"To love another person is to see the face of God."

I want to high-five the person who said that, because it's just...perfect. I love quotes like this. Little nuggets of truth with lots of power behind it. I know I've talked about my friends a lot, a lot recently. But, that's because I've never actually...needed my friends before. If that makes sense? I don't know what other word to use. I'm pretty much a self-sufficient person. But, experiences that I've had recently have required me to rely on their support. It's a slightly humbling experience. And I feel like I explained that horribly, but that's ok. You can think I'm nuts. But, anyway, my friends. All my friends, I see Christ in their eyes. That's why I'm drawn to them, why I know I CAN rely on them. And that brings me to the quote.

In order to love others, you have to see something in them - you have to see God in them. That's why I love my friends so much, because they have that special light in them. But the truth is, God is in each of us. And...that brings us to something else.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I hear girls - actually, anyone, but it's usually from girls - say that their fat or ugly. They may be like "Today is my ugly day," and I want to give this whole spiel about how they are never ugly. But I usually just like raise my eyebrow and say something like 'Oh, you never have an ugly day!" Because I know they don't want to be preached at. But, here's the deal. They are not only insulting themselves by saying that.

We have been told that we are made in God's image. Genesis 1:26-27. He created us. And He made us to look like Him. Every time someone says they are ugly, or fat, they are insulting God. Not only insulting His craftsmanship, but also how He looks. I know, it sounds weird, but think about it. He made us to look a certain way. Every time I hear someone degrade themselves in some way, I just want to be like "What are you talking about! You have so much beauty!" I guess sometimes it takes special eyes to see that beauty. We all get so caught up in perfect make-up, perfect hair, perfect clothes, perfect everything, that we lose sight of the natural beauty all around and within ourselves. And, it's not like I go around going "La, la, la, I'm so pretty! Look at me!" Yeah, no, that's not what I'm saying. I struggle with self-image just the same as any other girl. It's just that this knowledge makes it easier for me to get over that and to see the beauty inside myself. And the beauty in others.

So. "To love another person is to see the face of God." (by the way. I've discovered where this is from. Les Miserables. In case you wanted to know.) Strive to see God's face in the faces of those around you - to see Christ in others' eyes. It makes loving them so much easier. And, looking for the face of God in your face makes loving yourself so much easier.

P.S. sorry that my last couple of posts have been sorta didactic (baha, Mr. Garcia would be proud of me for using that word.) but that's just what's been going on in my brain. That and stress, and I'm sure reading about my stress would be more boring than this. The end.