Seeing God

It is the clean of heart that will see God.  What does that mean?  Have you ever felt so disgusted by someone or something because of what they may have done or said that you couldn’t bear to look at them? I know I have.  Those are the moments when I have failed to see God.  

You see, seeing God and Christ in others has nothing to do with what they do or say, even if it is the most horrendous or disgusting thing. They and we will have to face the appropriate consequences for our actions and words, but if we have failed to see Christ in the other, it is our problem.  “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.”  I have failed to see God in the other because of my tainted heart – my pride, my ego, my jealousy, my envy, my attachment to the world. All people are made in the image and likeness of God, and so no matter what someone may say or do, they remain a child of God, they remain a beloved son or daughter of the Father.

Jesus came for the sinners. We are all sinners. There are times when we fail to see Christ in others, and I am sure there are times when others fail to see Christ in us.  Even when others mistreat us, judge us, or hate us, we still must love them and treat them as beloved children of God. We love them not because they earned our love or that we are so worthy that can ought to love them, but because we have been so loved. Being loved is a gift, and gifts are meant to be given. Let us ask the Father to remove the layers of filth that dirty our hearts so that in seeing others as God sees them – as beloved sons and daughters, we may in turn see God.


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