In one of the lessons, we considered the question of how delightful we are in the eyes of Heaven. I very much want to believe that this is exactly what takes place in the ‘Heavenly dining hall.’ But our bold imagination may embellish some things and leave others unsaid, so all that remains for us is to believe in what we are unable to see.
Yet we are surrounded on every side by very delightful friends who may not even realize how appealing they are.
All around me are treasure chests filled with precious minerals, and I can make use of all these riches if I begin searching for them carefully and discovering them both for myself and for my friend.
God’s image has been placed within each of us, but for some reason we do not think about it and sometimes do not even suspect it is there. Sin and the cares of life have covered us with a centuries-old layer of dirt, attempting to impose upon us the image of this world. But this should not be. We are not of this world.
The Lord desires not only to see His reflection in us, but also wants us to become treasure hunters and discoverers of God in the lives of our friends, our neighbors, and those whom Providence sends to us.
Long ago, I decided to treat my friends in such a way that I would see only what is good and beautiful in them and point out the most wonderful things revealed to me. It is not always possible to share such discoveries with a friend, but when you study the distinctive qualities of another person’s soul, you will certainly discover many fascinating qualities in that person’s individuality and character.
Every friend is beautiful. Within each of us is a part of God that has been placed into our earthly nature and needs to be discovered and developed.
In the past, I was surprised when friends said that they saw Jesus in me. This embarrassed me greatly, and I was ready to argue with them because I thought they were mistaken. But over time, I understood one simple thing: if I continually behold Christ, I begin to be transformed into His likeness. And if I am immersed in Jesus and allowed to become saturated with Him, what should flow out of me when I am pressed? I had to accept this verdict humbly and rejoice that this is indeed the case.
Interestingly, I also see Jesus in my friends—in their character, their love, and their tender attitude toward one another. In their modesty, they try to deny it, but I notice how God reveals Himself in them.
At the most recent gathering of friends, held in Yerevan, the spiritual program included an activity called ‘Eating a Friend.’ During a meal, we chose another delightful person from our gathering and began to ‘eat’ that person together.
What did this look like? A friend was presented to everyone at our shared table, and each person seated there had to speak about that friend, explaining what he liked about the person, what positive qualities of the soul had been revealed to him, and what was good in the person being discussed. Everyone else had to listen carefully to the speaker rather than engage in private conversations or various activities, while enjoying the flavor of the friend being ‘eaten.’ Fortunately, everyone present supported this initiative and, during the gathering, developed the gift of seeing what is beautiful in other people. By the end of the meeting, even the quietest and least talkative people had become very sociable and conversational.
Seeing what is beautiful in a friend, noticing the treasures of that person’s soul, discovering hidden talents, and speaking kind and tender words—all this is part of God’s plan for restoring His image within us. We cannot speak well of ourselves or praise ourselves; that would not appear very modest. But when another person shares with you and others what he sees within you and reveals the true beauty of your heart, you hear many amazing things about yourself that you may never even have suspected.
How delightful we all are, and how joyful it is to ‘eat one another’ in the good sense of the expression! How interesting it is to choose the next candidate ‘to be eaten,’ smile at that person’s embarrassment and request that we choose someone more delightful, and then watch the expression on the person’s face while hearing the finest truth about himself and about what a wonderful person he is.
We also noticed that many friends wept because of the abundance of kind words spoken about them. Some were experiencing this for the first time and were very glad that their suspicions that something good existed within their lives were confirmed by the words of friends, who uncovered the hidden treasures of their souls and shared these revelations with others as well.
All of us had gathered from around the world at one table—people of different characters, ages, and upbringings, yet possessing one faith and one Lord Jesus. Friction arose among us and could be felt very clearly at the beginning of a meal, when some were waiting for prayer while others were in no hurry to come to the table because they were attending to their own affairs. We sat down and began eating while tension hung in the air. But when another ‘eating of a friend’ began, God’s grace descended upon our gathering, and we united in a kind appreciation of another delightful person.
I think the most delightful experience took place within the heart of the person whom we were all ‘eating’ together. Personally, I delayed the moment when my turn would come, modestly trying to choose a brief time so that I could endure this attack more quickly. But they caught me as well and stretched the experience over two meals. I will be honest: it was very interesting and unfamiliar. My ears were not accustomed to hearing so many kind words about me, and I had to accept everything others said. I had never imagined what my friends saw in me, and many things interested me greatly. I understood that they valued me more highly than I valued myself, and now I very much desire to live up to the trust my dear friends placed in me. I saw what I had already achieved in my life and where I should make an effort to preserve it. Everyone whom we ‘ate’ together at our table experienced these same feelings.
Do not let the word ‘eat’ trouble you. It contains a deep meaning. When I eat something, it passes through my inner being and becomes part of me. When I appreciate a friend or listen to kind words about that person, those words, like good seed, fall into the good soil of my good heart and begin growing there. They become part of me and bear an abundant fruit of love, joy, and peace in my relationship with the person about whom I have learned or spoken so much good. The ability to see goodness in people, notice their talents, and recognize the amazing qualities of their souls develops Heavenly qualities within my own soul and helps me understand how God sees me in our fallen world.
A pearl hidden in mud and stained by the filth of sin does not cease to be a pearl or lose its value, even if it is immersed in utter darkness. In the same way, each of us, born for God, has special value in the eyes of Heaven and contains many hidden talents that do not lie upon the surface but are revealed through careful study of a friend’s heart, with that friend’s consent.
During our gathering, we learned and put into practice—experiencing it personally—the most interesting lesson of love. In the future, it will help us see God’s image in people, their unique potential, and who they are in our eyes and in the eyes of Heaven.
Jesus desires to become my lips so that through them He may give weary souls hope, faith, love, inspiration, and healing.
Bible Verses for Reflection
Galatians 6:9–10; Philippians 4:8; Proverbs 27:2, 9–10, 14; Jeremiah 9:23–24; James 3:17–18; 2 Corinthians 6:3–10; 10:17–18; 12:9; Galatians 6:14; Luke 6:45; Colossians 4:6; Mark 9:35; John 13:34–35; 1 Timothy 1:5; Ephesians 4:29.