Into and Not At

I got to attend an awards ceremony at my child's school today and it was quite touching.  Every child chosen for the particular award was accompanied by the teacher who nominated them and their teacher proceeded to give a short speech on why she had chosen this particular student.  Phrases like: Strong, silent type;  Empathetic; Ever my helper; Sensitive to other students in need;  filled the air this morning.  And while all the descriptions of the children there were beautiful, what resonated with me was a common thread in each teacher-child relationship... It was totally evident that each teacher had gotten to know their student and had come to a point at some time in the year where they saw, REALLY saw that child.  They took time to dig a bit deeper and chose to look into the child rather than just at them.  And in doing so discovered something special.  

It was a good reminder for me and a timely one at that, but not for the most obvious of reasons.  In this circumstance I found myself relating to the students and not the teachers.  This is because as a child of God it is so vital for me to key into the truth that my Father, just like that room full of teachers, first of all picked me, and chooses to look into to me and not just at me.  And while its hard for me to fathom, He too finds something special there.  

The best thing about me, hands down, is that I am clothed with Christ (Gal. 3:27), fully forgiven and redeemed.  I know this and cling to this ferociously, and I know that when God looks upon me He sees the righteousness of Jesus.  But I have to believe that God enjoys some of the other things He sees when He looks beneath the surface of me, someone who He personally knit together in my mother's womb (Psalm 139:13).  Perhaps He enjoys my quirks: my obnoxious belly laugh, my penchant for decopaging everything I can get my hands one, my ability to cry when something deep or emotional is within a 5 mile radius of me, and my ravenous love of words...

And perhaps He'd even be proud to stand in a room full of people and tell them what He sees when He looks at me.