"The Lord looketh on the Heart"

"Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature;...for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

Several years ago, my daughter Sarah pulled up the old, well-worn carpet in her front room to reveal an old hardwood floor. Some elbow grease and varnish later, she had a beautiful new floor for her salon.

A story in the Church News last week tells of a woman who fought for years unsuccessfully to make a patch of grass grow green and healthy, only to discover a "quaint, old-fashioned patio made of a mixture of vintage bricks" when she dug the grass out.

When I first moved to Cokeville, I met a woman nearly ninety years old, skeletal and home bound by her weakened immune system. As I spent time with her, I glimpsed brief insights into her soul. She was always lively, likeable, lovely. She always told stories of her youth, her marriage, her family and her life. She always had a smile and bit humor to share. She always bore strong testimony of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father with confidence that she was known and loved by them. We laughed together. We learned together. We cried together. I came to appreciate that, though she appeared old and frail, she was a strong, stalwart, special daughter of God. On the outside I could not see it, but on the inside was a heart of gold and a spirit of great beauty. Alva died last week. She would have loved her funeral. Everyone she loved and cared about (except those that are with her now) was there. I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to look beyond her outward appearance to see as "the Lord seeth" this wonderful woman. I will miss her.

I hope that others can look beyond my "old carpet" and "yellow grass" to see me for who I am inside. I have confidence that God sees me and hears me and knows me....and loves me just as I am. I'm so thankful for that knowledge. It gives me hope and peace.