Eyes & Souls

In explaining the image of God, I tell them that it is not physical, yet what represents God in this world best is neither the sky nor the sanctuary, but the human face.

'Look into the eyes of the person sitting next to you, and you will see an image of God.'

Then, people will look at those sitting next to them, and they will smile.

In explaining why this happens, I point to the tremendous power in looking into the eyes of the person sitting next to you.  It takes people by surprise.  They are not ready for it.  When we are faced with a strong emotion and we wish to minimize it, we smile, or we make a joke.  Niezthsche wrote that 'wit closes the coffin on an emotion.'

When you are moved, and wish the feeling to go away, laugh.

Later on, I urge the groups to whom I speak to do this:  when you are not sitting in a lecture, look into that person's eyes again and do not let yourself laugh.  Then you will feel the electric current of spirit that runs from one person to another in God's world.

To be in God's image is to understand that there is a part of a human being that shares eternity with God who created us.  Of this world, we are also more than this world.


David Wolpe in Why Faith Matters