The Lord Looketh on the Heart
April Moody
This past week my niece's second movie opened in some Megaplex theatres. (Yes I said her second movie.) It is about following your dreams and in fact it was her dream to make this movie. It is called "Even in Dreams." She wrote, directed, and starred in this movie. The fact that she did it not once but twice was amazing! Not only was it against the odds, but it was also quite an accomplishment. But even still, some people had to criticize her or her movie. Why do some have to find fault with others? Why can't we appreciate and lift our brothers and sister's up?
In this world of superficial things, appearances, fame, money, and things like it are worshipped. At times we might feel like we fall short of what we think we should look like or be. We are constantly bombarded with what the "ideal" woman should physically look like or be. And as members of the church, we are reminded of what qualities a perfect mother, wife, friend, grandmother, (insert title here,) should be.
While it is important to strive to become your best self, that is different for every person. Just like the millions of snowflakes, we are uniquely different from each other. I am so grateful that we are different. What a boring world it would be if we were all the same! Imagine a world full of "Where's Waldos"?
We are all at different levels of learning and becoming our ultimate selves. Who I am now is completely different from who I was at 20, 30, 40.....(and I will not continue counting that climb.) Suffice it to say that our trials, joys, pain, laughter, friends, foes, all of our experiences have helped mold us into who we are. Hopefully, we have learned from them. Sometimes we have not. That is one of the two reasons we came to earth. One to gain a body, and the other to gain experiences and be tested. Just remember that when we were presented with this plan to come to earth and experience all these things we knew we would experience on this earth, including being misjudged by others, we all shouted for joy (See Job 38:7)
Everyone has trials on this earth. Some are visible to others, and some struggle with unseen trials. My daughter Makenna has visible trials. Although she has gone to doctors and therapists almost her entire life, nothing has really changed for her. She is mistaken as someone who is mentally challenged when she was a straight-A student in high school. Being incredibly intelligent and talented, it is painful to be seen in that way. She has extreme sensory challenges so she wears homemade dresses. As a teenager, it is tough on her self-esteem not to be able to wear "cool clothes" like everyone else. She gets stared at everywhere she goes. She cannot concentrate or sit still unless she does something on her phone because her mind races. To others, it looks as if she is not paying attention, however, it is in fact the exact opposite. These struggles have built her spirit and soul. She is always aware of others and never has an unkind word to say about anyone else. She is sensitive and has the kindest heart of anyone I have ever met. And she is only 18. Her trials are unique to her and are what she needs. We each have our own unique set of trials to help us where our spirits are lacking.
When King Saul was disobedient to the Lord, He sent Samuel to find the new king. He was to go to Jesse the Beth-lemite and pick one of his sons. So Samuel saw Eliab and thought that would be the one. He was this tall strong looking son. But the Lord taught him and all of us a valuable lesson when he said "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." (1Samueal 16:7)
Wouldn't it be cool to have special glasses like they do in "Harry Potter" similar to the ones Luna Lovegood wore? Hers, called Spectrespecs, allowed the wearer to see wrackspurts. (Which are invisible to the human eye.) Being in the real world, we will just have to pray to be more understanding and kind to each other. Let's really put the effort in ourselves to realize we cannot see into our fellow brother's and sister's hearts. We do not know their individual story. We only can look at their outward appearance and that does not really give us the true picture of who they truly are. Let's just strive to love each other as we are, and realize we do not know their hearts the way the Lord does.
April Moody
Spruces Neighborhood
