The other day while I was out shopping, desperately trying to find something for my teenage boys, I stopped by Famous Footwear ( and found a nifty gift by the way ). I asked the lady at the counter if they had any Crocs ( Kyle loves Crocs ). She told me they did and pointed me in the direction of their over priced plasticky shoe aisle. Then, I overheard her speak into her little microphone/headphone set: Can someone help the lady in the black capri's and gray hoodie ( yes, I was dressed to the nines ) find the crocs?
As I walked back to look at the selection, I thought to myself... I'm just not some lady in black capris and a gray hoodie. She doesn't know I am a wife to a wonderful, giving husband and mother to six rambunctious kids. She doesn't know I am from Utah, that I ran four miles this morning, where I have been or what I have done with my life. True, it was the end of the holiday season and I can imagine she really didn't care who I was, as long as I purchased something and went on my merry way so she could move onto the next lady dressed in a whatever outfit. But, I am more than the lady in capris and a hoodie. I am a child of God.
As I have reflected on that experience, I think of a book S. Michael Wilcox, my favorite author and speaker of all time, called Daughter's of God. It is all about women in the scriptures. The title always makes me think of how interesting it is that we are called Daughters of God. What is a daughter? How does a Father teach, protect and provide for his daughter? We are not merely Women 4 Jesus, nor are we a forgotten clusters of cells floating randomly around this planet we call home. We are not a niece, a step-daughter, nor are we adopted. We are daughters of God. Children of God. A God who is our Father, watches us, guides us and loves us.
How easily we forget, that we, along with all of the strangers we bump into through out the day, are truly children of God. My belief is that if we could see just a sliver of what our Heavenly Father sees in others, we would be kinder, more generous, more Christlike. If we could see the true divinity in each soul, what an amazing change of heart we would see. Conversely, if we could see a sliver of divinity in ourselves, a hint of what our Father sees in us, perhaps we would have an even greater change of heart, with an exponential effect on those around us. By remembering who we truly are, would we not change our behavior towards our fellow men?
I think of the life of Christ and all those whom he walked with, taught and healed. I often wonder, what he saw in Judas. He knew there was a traitor in his midst, and yet Judas was brought to the inner circle. Loved, taught, valued, even trusted. Judas carried the bag of money that provided for the temporal needs of all of the apostles, and yet he betrayed the Savior for a handful of silver. What did Christ see in Judas that we do not? Where we see a traitor, Christ sees a Son of God. Where we see an average person in the aisles of Target or sitting in the row next to us at church, Christ sees a valiant and noble spirit. What does Christ see in all those imperfect souls around us, that we cannot? If we really try, can we see it too?
" What think ye of Christ? " can be turned to " What does Christ think of you?" What does he see in you? What does he know about you, see in you and believe in you? The primary song asks, If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do? I often ask, if the Savior were to replace me, what changes would those who know me best see? How different would my actions and habits be, if the Savior stood in my shoes, not just by my side? I can only hope, the changes would be minimal. That I am more Christlike than not.
So, as this Christmas season comes to an end, may we all see what our loving Heavenly Father sees in us. May we treat others as Christ would treat them. May we live as Christ would have us live.
Be Grateful!!
Be Christlike.
As I walked back to look at the selection, I thought to myself... I'm just not some lady in black capris and a gray hoodie. She doesn't know I am a wife to a wonderful, giving husband and mother to six rambunctious kids. She doesn't know I am from Utah, that I ran four miles this morning, where I have been or what I have done with my life. True, it was the end of the holiday season and I can imagine she really didn't care who I was, as long as I purchased something and went on my merry way so she could move onto the next lady dressed in a whatever outfit. But, I am more than the lady in capris and a hoodie. I am a child of God.
As I have reflected on that experience, I think of a book S. Michael Wilcox, my favorite author and speaker of all time, called Daughter's of God. It is all about women in the scriptures. The title always makes me think of how interesting it is that we are called Daughters of God. What is a daughter? How does a Father teach, protect and provide for his daughter? We are not merely Women 4 Jesus, nor are we a forgotten clusters of cells floating randomly around this planet we call home. We are not a niece, a step-daughter, nor are we adopted. We are daughters of God. Children of God. A God who is our Father, watches us, guides us and loves us.
How easily we forget, that we, along with all of the strangers we bump into through out the day, are truly children of God. My belief is that if we could see just a sliver of what our Heavenly Father sees in others, we would be kinder, more generous, more Christlike. If we could see the true divinity in each soul, what an amazing change of heart we would see. Conversely, if we could see a sliver of divinity in ourselves, a hint of what our Father sees in us, perhaps we would have an even greater change of heart, with an exponential effect on those around us. By remembering who we truly are, would we not change our behavior towards our fellow men?
I think of the life of Christ and all those whom he walked with, taught and healed. I often wonder, what he saw in Judas. He knew there was a traitor in his midst, and yet Judas was brought to the inner circle. Loved, taught, valued, even trusted. Judas carried the bag of money that provided for the temporal needs of all of the apostles, and yet he betrayed the Savior for a handful of silver. What did Christ see in Judas that we do not? Where we see a traitor, Christ sees a Son of God. Where we see an average person in the aisles of Target or sitting in the row next to us at church, Christ sees a valiant and noble spirit. What does Christ see in all those imperfect souls around us, that we cannot? If we really try, can we see it too?
" What think ye of Christ? " can be turned to " What does Christ think of you?" What does he see in you? What does he know about you, see in you and believe in you? The primary song asks, If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do? I often ask, if the Savior were to replace me, what changes would those who know me best see? How different would my actions and habits be, if the Savior stood in my shoes, not just by my side? I can only hope, the changes would be minimal. That I am more Christlike than not.
So, as this Christmas season comes to an end, may we all see what our loving Heavenly Father sees in us. May we treat others as Christ would treat them. May we live as Christ would have us live.
Be Grateful!!
Be Christlike.
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