When They Look At Me

            I love people. I love watching them and wondering what their story is. Perhaps that’s the writer-side coming out of me, but people are so interesting and diverse, that I can’t help but feel drawn to them. When I watch them, I wonder, Why does she wear those kinds of clothes? Or, Why does he look so sad? Or, What attracted her to that kind of man? Or, Why didn’t he look in the mirror this morning?

A few months ago, a friend and I sat downtown and made up stories about each of the people who walked by our bench. It was so fun. I could seriously do that all day.

            But what about their real stories? The other afternoon, while at the store, I realized that, just by seeing people, we can learn so much about them. I heard a toddler cough, and knew that she had a cold. I saw a mother scold her little girl for running off, and I knew from her tone that she was anxious and tired. I saw an older man put his arm around his wife, and I knew that he loved her.

            And it made me wonder. When people look at me, what do they see? What do they see in the way I speak, move, dress, act, look? Do I look like a regular fifteen-year-old teen? Do I look irritable? Unloving? Careless? Do I look like I’m trying to gain attention? Do I look like everyone else?

            Or do I stand out, because I’m different?

            I’m not saying that we need to be totally absorbed in what other people think of us. That’s vanity. But I do think this is something that we need to be conscious of.

            We are made to reflect the image of Christ. Our sole purpose is to love God and others, and show people the way to Christ. Whenever we step out in public, we are showing people who we are. In the way we act, the way we dress, the way we speak… Everything we do gives the world a glimpse of who we are.

            What do they see?