Noticings – June 1, 2022

It was just an offhand comment, the kind all of us makes all the time. Someone was wanting to take a spur-of-the-moment snapshot picture – called a ‘selfie’. But this person wasn’t a big selfie-taker and was not adept at the workings of their cell phone camera. In that moment the phrase just absent-mindedly rolled off the tongue – “Oh, no one wants a selfie of me anyway.” It was one of those natural, self-deprecating little comments that we all make. Of course it’s not even a little bit true, and we know that it isn’t true, but we say those kinds of things anyway – because all of us, and I mean all of us, are just a little bit insecure and can’t help but compare ourselves to the air-brushed perfection we are inundated with via media. We know better, but that little voice in our head keeps poking us with self-doubt.
 
The instant that throwaway line was uttered the voice of God broke through the noise of the moment and reverberated through the crowd. The voice of God said, “No, don’t say that. You’re beautiful inside and out!” And instantly all who heard the voice of God knew that it was profoundly true, and that moment was transformed into a joyous and heartfelt gushing of gratitude. We are beloved! And when we sometimes forget, how wonderful it is that the voice of God breaks through and reminds us.
 
That’s not a story from the bible. (Well, I guess it kinda is!) It was a story I experienced recently. And the voice of God didn’t emerge from parted clouds with a fanfare and angel chorus. Nope, the voice of God came from a little girl. She was just standing nearby and when she heard that casual self-deprecating remark she instinctively wheeled around and infused the moment with truth and loving-kindness. “No, don’t say that. You’re beautiful inside and out!” It was the holiest thing I’d witnessed in quite a while!
 
I’m always going on about how when we do things out of love that it is an expression of our ‘offering’ God’s love through us. That little girl made a profound offering. God’s voice sang out through her, and love transformed the moment. It was so simple – and so blessed. How might you be an offering of God’s love this week? What situations might you find yourself in where the simplest affirmation of love could change someone’s day? Who do you know that needs to be reminded how wonderfully beloved, and beautiful they are, just as they are? I hope that you will allow the voice of God to sing out through you!
 
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