A Child of God
I plead with you as disciples of Jesus Christ to pray to see others as He sees them and to treat them accordingly.
As a child, I learned that greetings in my culture communicate love, concern, respect, and belonging. My daughter recently reminded me of the significance of the southern African greeting sawubona, which means, “I see you.” This greeting is much more than a simple “hello.” It is an acknowledgment of another person’s worth and humanity. It communicates, “I recognize you. I respect you. You matter.”
The Savior Jesus Christ perfectly exemplified this principle. Throughout His ministry, He truly saw the people around Him. He saw the woman at the well, the leper, the blind man, and the child. Where others saw labels, He saw beloved sons and daughters of God. Even of the rich young man who later walked away from Him sorrowing, the scriptures say, “[And] Jesus beholding him loved him.”
One of my favorite sawubona moments in the Savior’s ministry occurred at the pool of Bethesda. There Jesus saw a man who had suffered with an infirmity for 38 years. Where others had walked past him for years, the Savior saw him, ministered to him, and healed him.
The good Samaritan also chose to see. Rather than allowing labels or differences to distract him, he saw a child of God in need and acted. The Savior’s example and the good Samaritan’s compassion are not beyond our reach. Often, helping others feel seen as children of God begins with something as simple as learning their name.
During our daughter’s final parent-teacher conference, a school janitor approached my husband and me. With tears in his eyes, he thanked us for our daughter. He explained that she regularly greeted him, knew his name, and even helped him clean up after lunch.
He told us, “Very few students know my name. Your daughter sees me.”
President Dallin H. Oaks reminded us that “all mortals are beloved children of God.” As mission leaders, we found that missionaries who understood and taught this truth were more effective in helping others come unto Christ.
I plead with you as disciples of Jesus Christ to pray to see others as He sees them and to treat them accordingly. Remember, “Jesus said love ev’ryone; treat them kindly too.” When we see others through the Savior’s eyes, love and service naturally follow. President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “God does notice us, and … it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.”
The Savior sees our divine potential and, as the scriptures teach, “calleth those things which be not as though they were.” He sees not only who we are but who we can become. Through His atoning sacrifice, He makes that divine potential possible for all of us.
Seeing others as children of God also influences the way we see ourselves, yet the world encourages us to see ourselves and others differently. The world invites us to focus on labels rather than eternal identity.
However, labels can never fully capture who we truly are. Living prophets have taught that our eternal identity matters far more than any worldly identifier. Our identity is not something we achieve; it is something we inherit as beloved sons and daughters of God.
Like many people, I have sometimes viewed myself through the lens of such labels. When President Oaks extended my new calling, he told me, “You’ve been called for who you are. The Lord knows you.” In that moment I was reminded that God’s view of us is always more complete and more hopeful than our own. This eased my feelings of inadequacy.
Whatever labels may weigh heavily upon you today, Jesus Christ can raise you above them. His grace is sufficient to lift you above every label and limitation.
Before we were students, athletes, employees, parents, citizens, or leaders, we were spirit children of our Heavenly Father. That eternal identity does not change when circumstances change, when we make mistakes, or when others misunderstand us. He loves you. He knows you. He sees you as you are now and sees who you will become. He has a plan for your life, and Jesus Christ is at the center of that plan!
President Russell M. Nelson taught us that embracing our divine identity influences every major decision in our lives. As we seek the Savior’s perspective, He will often guide us to those who need to be seen.
Years ago I prayed to know how I could help a coworker who seemed isolated. As I acted on simple promptings to include him, our friendship grew. I learned that when we ask Heavenly Father to help us see others, He guides us to those who feel unseen.
You too can make a difference in someone’s life today simply by seeing them and acknowledging them. Remember that every person has divine worth. When we see one another through the Savior’s eyes, hearts change, relationships deepen, and faith grows.
This week, I invite you to:
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Learn the name of someone who may feel unseen.
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Pray to see others as Heavenly Father sees them.
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Replace worldly labels with these eternal truths: Child of God. Child of the covenant. Disciple of Jesus Christ.
My dear friends, I leave you a final sawubona. I see you. More important, your Heavenly Father sees you. Your Savior, Jesus Christ, sees you. They know your name, your circumstances, your gifts, and your divine potential.
As we learn to see ourselves and one another as They do, our homes, wards, schools, and communities will become places of belonging, healing, and love. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.