All creatures Great and Small
Christine Leichliter

"You don't have to be beautiful to make other people beautiful"...The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

As our God Goes to the Library group pondered this phrase this evening, we discussed the importance of how our actions, and our responses make others feel. In a society that learns very early to judge those around us on the superficial things--looks, talent, physical prowess, business acumen--we often forget that's not exactly what God may have had in mind when he created each of us: "Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13

So we continue our journey this week with Shrek and his motley crew: The 3 Pigs, Puss n Boots, the Gingerbread Man, Humpty Dumpty, and the effervescent and benevolent Fairy Godmother are just some of the cast of characters. We've known their stories since childhood, but as children we may not have looked any deeper than their fairy tale personas.

1 Samuel 16:7 admonishes us: "Do not look on his appearance or the height of his stature . . . for the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks in the heart."

So as we travel through the swamp, perhaps we could be more like Donkey and look into someone's heart and make them beautiful.        

Prayer:
Father God, thank you for this beautiful world and all that You have created. Help met to live by faith and not by sight. Remind me that everyone is beautiful in his own way. May the inner beauty that only You can give forever shine in my heart so that others can see and I can see in others. Give me an attitude of love and gentleness, so that I can be what You intended when you first formed me. Lead me today to walk with intention and act with love. Amen