Max Lucado’s short story, The Book and the Rose, begins with this prophecy:
“Tell me who you love and I will tell you who you are.”
He tells the story of a young soldier about to meet his female pen pal for the first time. Neither knew what the other looked like so she told him she would carry a rose and he told her he would carry a book she had once owned. I won’t spoil the story in case you’d like to read it or watch the short film of the same title. But I’ll share a quote from the film that spoke to me in relation to the opening line.
“I was looking for a beautiful woman and almost missed the love of my life.”
Who is it that you love? And not just who, but what is it about them that you love so much? Is it their beauty or wealth? Or perhaps their talents, their physical strength, or their smile? Such things are so fleeting. They are here for a moment and gone in a breath. But search deeper to discover what is often blind to the human eye. Can you see it with your heart? Their persevering and resilient spirit, their inner joy, their thankful and hopeful heart, their faithfulness.
Tell me who you love and I will tell you who you are.
Who we love, the real person and not just their outward appearance, is a reflection of who we are. It is like a mirror that reflects the image of our heart. Seeing the potential of a disruptive child or the hope for a hopeless lad reflects your loving and believing heart. Seeing a brother in a homeless man or a friend in an irritable coworker reflects in your heart what the eye cannot see.
And who is this God you profess to love? Is he a demanding and distant judge? Is he just a giver of plentiful gifts? Is he the rescuer who only appears when you need help? Or is he the lover of your soul, the one in whom you always find comfort and strength, the one who satisfies you like none other?
Tell me who you love and I will tell you who you are. Draw close to the one you love and I will tell you who you become. Be careful what you look for so you don’t miss the love of your life.