My 4-yr.-old David has dark brown eyes. They are clear, full of expression and depth. To me they are the expression of God's creative goodness.
Yesterday David and I were outside looking at each other. We were ready to go somewhere and were waiting on Melissa and Teya (this seems to happen a fair amount - something David and I might have to get used to).
While we waited, I was on my knees listening to David go on and on about something I can't remember now, but I'm sure it involved heroes, swords and lots of fighting (4-year-olds are monologue masters). But then he stopped mid-story, took a closer look at me, and said, "Daddy, I can see myself in your eyes."
Now that I write about it, there's a sense in which my whole life has anticipated what David said yesterday. For God describes us as the apple of his eye. And I heard someone explain once that the "apple" of someone's eye is the reflection you see of yourself (I think in scripture it means the center of one's eye, so it's not a stretch to think as this as the reflecting area).
I attempted to explain this to David and he asked me,"Can you see yourself in my eyes?" "Yes," I replied, "I can."
Let me pause here for a second to brag about my son's eyes. They are a deep chocolate brown, and it was easy for me to see myself in them. They are as merry and jolly as an old man's when he smiles. They also have a fury and determination when paired with his furrowed brow (Melissa can attest to this, and all of our accompanying disciplinary measures). David's eyes have a depth of expression that I haven't yet been able to plumb, but I try to all the same.
God looks at me with such eyes. He asks, "Can you see your reflection?"
After David and I talked about being the apple of God's eye he smiled, giggled and leaned until our noses touched and asked, as everything was out of focus in the wonder of closeness, "Can you see it now?" "No" I whispered in ecstasy. I believe God gets that close.
In David's eyes I see the love of God. In those eyes I see love reflecting me. In those eyes I see playfulness, peace, hope and joy. I see eyes that truly twinkle with a secret knowledge that is being shared and dim reflection that is growing clearer.
In the apple of God's eyes I see delight and I see me.
