The Light of Christ

Last week, my darling nemesis Kristen Blair asked me a food for thought question that I've been chewing on ever since: "Have you ever thought that someone wasn't beautiful while they were bearing their testimony?" I gave the matter a minute of contemplation and realized that, despite the staggering variety of people whose testimony bearing I've witnessed, I have never been able to pass judgement in that way during a sincere testimony.

Wow. Just think about it, people. Physical attractiveness is one thing. But it pales in comparison to the effect the light of Christ has in us. With an eye single to His glory, how could we not see the heavenly potential of one of our spirit brothers or sisters?

Look at it this way. Have you ever been talking with your friends about boys (gentlemen, I know this doesn't directly apply to you, but perhaps you can sympathize) and someone mentions one of your guy friends? You say something positive in general about him, then your friend expresses something about his lack of good looks. It leads to momentary befuddlement because it never occurred to you that this guy was unattractive in any way. Upon consideration, you decide that he's not alluring according to "the rule," but you really see nothing wrong with him and can't see why he wouldn't be attractive to you and another girl likewise.

Does anyone sympathize with this? It's happened several times for me. But when determining a person's character--which, I don't know about you, but character is a rather significant part of attractiveness when I'm judging--is good looks really what makes the person a good person? Are we really that closed minded, people? Do we normally take people point by point in our analyses of them? "Let's talk about what a nice gait so and so has. Once we're done with that, we'll discuss his ability to speak foreign languages." Of course not!

Perhaps I'm getting carried away. Maybe I'm expected to limit myself purely to physical judgement when asked whether I find a guy agreeable; or anyone, for that matter. But I find that, if I really know someone, then I've seen the spark of good in them. And that spark is more real and hotter than any red chili pepper label.