A Glimpse of God in Every Face

God part tucked within every culture, every smile, every act of kindness, and even in the simplest moments of life.  

At first, it’s easy to see the differences — the food, the language, the customs, the color of the land and skin. But when you look deeper, when you slow down long enough to listen and really see, you begin to realize something remarkable: that people are some of the most special treasures you’ll ever encounter.  

“The LORD has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth.” — Acts 17:26 

I tell people often, “We’re created in the image of God.” And if that’s true — if you were made in His image, and I was made in His image, and everyone else was too — then there’s something profound hidden inside that truth. Because no two people are exactly the same. Every fingerprint is different. Every DNA strand is unique. Every voice, every laugh, every story — unlike any other.  

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” — Genesis 1:27 

So what does that say about the One who made us?  

Could it be that each person carries a small reflection of who God is? That when we meet someone who is entirely different from us — in culture, background, or even belief — we are seeing another facet of God’s infinite image?  

“For we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” — Romans 12:5 

When I put it that way, it’s almost as if every human being is a small piece of a great mosaic — a grand portrait that, when seen all together, begins to reveal more of what God is truly like. His creativity, His compassion, His humor, His justice, His tenderness — all reflected, piece by piece, in us.  

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” — 1 Corinthians 13:12 

But there’s something else I’ve learned: love is the key that allows us to see it.  

Without love, we miss it completely. We stay blinded by the surface — the differences, the judgments, the noise. But when love opens our eyes, we begin to see the divine fingerprint in every soul. We begin to see God’s reflection where before we only saw faults or fear.  

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” — 1 John 4:8 

“Love one another as I have loved you.” — John 13:34 

Maybe that’s why love matters so much. Because when we love others — especially those who are different — we’re honoring the image of God in them. And in doing so, we get to see more of Him ourselves.  

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.” — 1 John 4:11–12 

So wherever you go, slow down long enough to notice the God part. It might be in the old man’s wisdom at the marketplace, the child’s laughter in the street, or the quiet dignity of a mother serving her family.  

Each life carries a reflection. Each reflection tells a story.  

“If anyone says, ‘I love God, ’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” — 1 John 4:20 

And together, all of us — made in His image — tell the story of a God too vast to be seen in any one of us alone.  

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” — Revelation 7:9 

But there’s one more thing I’ve come to realize, especially for those of us who help others heal: 

It’s very important that before we begin pointing out what’s broken, we first ask God to show us what’s beautiful. Before we focus on character defects or strongholds, we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us see the special part of that person — the image of God that still shines within them, even through the pain and confusion.  

If we only zero in on what’s wrong, we can unintentionally paralyze the very soul we’re trying to help. But when we begin by calling out what’s right — the divine design, the spark of goodness, the part of them that still bears His likeness — we awaken hope instead of shame. We help them believe again that God’s hand is still on their life.  

“The LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7 

Even in correction and truth-telling, we must see through the lens of love. Jesus never ignored sin, but He always saw the person first. He looked beyond the surface and saw the potential of who they could become in Him.  

“A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out, till He has brought justice through to victory.” — Matthew 12:20 

When we ask God to show us His view of each person, He gives us eyes of compassion instead of criticism, and words that bring life instead of despair. That’s how true transformation begins — not through judgment, but through love that sees.  

“Let all that you do be done with love.” — 1 Corinthians 16:14 

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11 

So before we speak, pray: 

“Lord, help me see this person the way You see them. Show me the gold beneath the dust, the light beneath the shadow, the beauty beneath the brokenness.” 

Because when we start there — seeing God’s handprint before the flaws — we’re not just helping people recover; we’re helping them rediscover the image of God they were created to reflect.