What You See

There is a strange phenomenon that occurs in life that affects every one of us and yet it is something we seldom stop to think about. That is the condition of “mirroring.” Ancient philosophers recognized it and said that we as people see the world not as it is but as we are. What this means is that if we are generous and kind we tend to assume that others around us are generous and kind. Or if we are jealous and prone to gossip, we assume that everyone else is jealous and tends to gossip.

I once met a woman and as we talked she found out that I met a group of women each morning to go walking with for exercise. Her immediate reaction is, “I could never do that! A group of women is just a gossip group.” I was stunned because the group I was walking with didn’t gossip. She made an assumption that must have been made from her own experience not mine.

This takes on significance when we look at the Sermon on the Mount and read that the pure in heart will see God. Yes, they someday will behold God face to face, but more importantly the pure in heart see God in everything around them. Instead of seeing a stranger as someone wearing expensive clothing, they see the pure in heart see a stranger and recognize a fellow child of God-a sibling. Being pure in heart means that you see the world differently. It means that you see the world through pure and righteous eyes.

So today I'm paying close attention to what I see and then learning about myself.

A Glimpse Into A Pure Heart

Have you ever thought about what would happen if suddenly there were thousands of refugees seeking help in your neighborhood? Would you open your door? Better still would you open your pantry? I’ve thought about it a lot and hoped I would, but reading Mosiah 25 showed me what a group of righteous people did.

The people were living in Zarahemla about four years after the famous speech by King Benjamin when the people repented to the point that they experienced the mighty change of heart. At this time the people from Helam who were led by Alma and the people from Lehi-Nephi who were led by Limhi escaped captivity by sneaking past sleeping guards and made their way to Zarahemla. We don’t know how many people there were but between the two groups it would be safe to estimate they numbered in the thousands. So we have thousands of people converging on a city needing food, homes, land to grow crops, and many other things. But instead of complaining or selfishly sending them away the people of Zarahemla opened their homes and hearts to the refugees.

In Mosiah 25:8-11 we discover that upon the arrival of the strangers, “they were filled with exceedingly great joy.” When they heard the story of the adversity the newcomers had suffered they were “filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow,” for those who had lost their lives. But the amazing thing is that they “raised their voices and gave thanks to God” for helping their brethren. How many times have we given thanks for the good fortune that befalls someone else?

This is a beautiful insight into the hearts and behavior of a righteous people. I love reading it and coming to understand more what the Lord means when He encourages us to be a Zion people.