Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

-- Numbers 6:24-26

This is a blessing for every house and every nation. Nothing can divide you. You are seen. You are loved. You are protected. As you go about your daily life, whether voting or on other days, the one thing that matters is where your heart is.

Is your heart focused on hate, anger, and fear? That is what you will walk in. It will feel like there is nothing shining on you. You will feel as if G-d Himself has turned away.

Is your heart focused on love, on seeing the light of G-d inside each person you encounter? If that is what you seek, it is what you will find. As you come across an individual, you choose what to see. The face of G-d, shining on you, or the face of an enemy out to harm you. Only one face is true. If humans were created in G-d’s image, how can any of them be anything else?

This prayer can be seen as a hope for something to come, or a statement of truth and where to look for it. I am drawn to this scripture. I find it comforting because it’s truth resonates deep within me.

What would the world be like if we truly saw each other this way? If we saw even the “worst villains” not as agents of a devil, but as a manifestation of G-d in human form.

Can you do that? Can you allow G-d to shine His face on you even through people you prefer to judge as “horrible?” Can you see G-d in EVERYONE and every circumstance?

This is the way to find blessings.

This may not be the original meaning of the scripture, but it is one way to find the blessing that is mentioned. If you want grace and peace, seek the face of the Lord in every person you encounter. Endeavor to allow that face to shine through you.