Looking to the Unseen

When I look at people, I see their faces.  I am good at remembering the faces.  I see the smiles or I see the lack thereof.  I see the spark in their eye and I see when their smile sometimes does not reach their eyes.  I know people by their face.  I remember what I see on their face, but I often forget to see beyond the face.  I tend to regard people by what I see in front of me, but I forget to consider what is behind the face.

Behind each face is a heart.  A heart that has faced much.  On each heart is written a beautiful story, a story like no other.  The pages of every human heart are different from the pages of every other human heart.  Behind each face is a heart, and on every heart is written a different and beautiful story.  I will never tire of reading the stories.  When I look only at the face, I may never know what is behind it.  If I don’t look beyond to the things unseen, I may miss the beautiful story hidden within the heart.

There are many times I have had the opportunity to see beyond just faces, yet I often forget to look. 

Several years ago, I was working with a little girl in our church’s youth program.  She was full of energy and her bright mischievous smile lit up the room.  Although a bright and beautiful child, the girl often acted out and before long, she was labeled by many as a trouble-maker.  For some reason, with this particular girl, I could see more than that.  My heart, for some reason, connected with her and I didn’t see her as the trouble-maker other saw.  

When I got the opportunity to work more closely with her, it didn’t take long to discover the heart story behind the mischievous face.  One night, I was explaining Romans 3:23.  Attempting to get on a child’s level, I explained the concept of sin, “anything we do that is wrong, like when we are mean to are siblings.”  As I went on, I explained that ALL have sinned, “Me and you, your sister, your dad, and even your Mom.  Without warning, the little girl dissolved in tears.  

I had no idea what I could have said to make her cry.  The little girl explained as she choked back her tears.  “My Mom died”.  I couldn’t speak.  So many people had just written the little girl off as a trouble maker, yet behind all the mischief was a shattered heart just looking for love to fill the broken places.  

In working with this little girl, I realized how much depth there is behind a persons face, even behind the face of a nine year old girl.  Though I learned this lesson years ago, I think somehow I forget it from time to time.  So often I forget to look beyond the smiling face.  Instead of noticing the things unseen, I see only the outward appearance.  When I forget to look at the things unseen, I cannot fully love the people around me.  When I focus on only the mischief or the outward smile, I miss out on the beautiful story beyond.

When I met my teammates at the beginning of this month, I saw faces.  I did’t see any further.  Now, as the month draws to a close, I am finally seeing beyond the faces and the smiles.  Behind whatever mask they wear on their face, each of my teammates has a beautiful story.  A story that is much different than mine and a story that matters.  Each of the people we have met here in India also has a beautiful story.  When we look only at faces, we miss out on so much.  

 In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Paul talks about looking beyond.  The verse says “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.  The beauty of faces will fade with time, while the story on the heart grows ever more beautiful.  2 Corinthians 5:16 says “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh, even though we once regarded Christ according to  the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer.”  

As I walk through each day, I don’t want to only see faces.  I want to see beyond the faces.  I want to see the heart behind the face.  When I look at people I want to read not only their faces, but the stories on their heart.  During my time here in India, I have had the opportunity to see and hear so many beautiful stories as well as many heart breaking stories.  Yet there are many more I’ve yet to read.  I don’t ever want to forget these stories and I don’t ever want to stop looking beyond.  I want to love people for who they are behind what they show on their face.