The instant I saw her I knew she was special.

She was only about 5 years old, and her smile
simply captivated my heart. Something about her
moved me and compelled my attention.

It was the closing night of our crusade in
Roanoke, Virginia, and after the service Dr. Van
Impe and I were sitting on the edge of the
platform, shaking hands and visiting with people.

A young couple came over to me and smiled up
at me so sweetly. There was such a wonderful
expression of the Lord on their faces. I leaned over
and shook their hands and greeted them, but they
didn’t say a word.

That’s when I saw her — their beautiful little
daughter with a cherub face and an angelic smile
that wrapped itself around my heart. I motioned
to her with my finger and she came up on the
platform and stood in front of me.

As I looked into her eyes, suddenly I realized
that she couldn’t talk — both she and her parents
were without speech. So with the little bit of sign
language I know, I asked, “Do you love Jesus?”

And she signed back — not only with her hands,
but with her eyes and her heart — “YES… OH, YES!”

I was so moved… so overcome with emotion
that I also was mute for a long moment. There was
something in her look that spoke volumes.
Somehow I realized that this child knew the Lord
in a way that few people ever will. She had an inner
relationship with Christ so real and powerful that
His radiance glowed in her face and His joy flowed
out of her tender young life to touch everyone
around her.

I looked down into the faces of the child’s
mother and father and saw their love and pride.
And I also saw that they had that special look. One
glance… and people could tell they had been with Jesus.

Because I couldn’t understand the meaning of
all their signs, I was unable to converse very much
with them. But I had no doubt that they were able
to speak to Christ, perhaps in a much deeper and
more meaningful way than most of us do.

And they had taught their daughter well, and
had led her to know Jesus. Somehow I was
absolutely convinced that she had been on Christ’s lap
often, even as little ones were centuries ago.

Do you have “the look”?

What do people see when they look at us? Can
they tell at a glance that we’ve been in the
presence of the Lord?

I love the beautiful Old Testament account of
how Moses went up to the mountain to meet with
God and to receive the Ten Commandments.
When he came back down into the camp of the
Israelites, his countenance shone — the light that
emanated from his being told all the people at a
glance that he had been with Jehovah God.

Some time ago, a local television program
featured a man who was talking about how to have
the look that was right for you. He was stressing
the importance of choosing just the right
makeup, hairstyle, clothing colors, etc.

I believe that this is important. But as I watched
that program, I was struck with the thought that
even if we make the outer person look his or her
best, without the abiding presence of the Lord
within, we can never achieve the look that sets us
apart from the world.

What does it matter if people can look at me and
say, “My, doesn’t she have an up-to-date look —
her make-up, her hair, her clothes, her grooming
are just impeccable!” If they do not see beyond the
outer shell, how real is my Christian testimony?

For all believers, one of our greatest joys should
be having people see Jesus in us — sensing that
there is something different about us without our
saying a word.

The look of love

Not long ago, I had a beautiful, blessed
experience. I was trying on a dress in a shop when the
girl who was assisting me began to talk, and in
minutes she was pouring out her heart to me. She
told me her problems and asked for advice and
help. After I counseled with her concerning her
personal need, I proceeded to explain God’s plan
of salvation and her greatest need of all — to
accept Christ. So we were praying, and she
opened her heart to the Lord. Later, when I asked
why she came to me for help, she said, “There was
just something about you — a certain look that
touched me.”

What’s in a look?

God help us to be so filled with His presence and
so overflowing with His love that we have our
Lord’s look — the look of love.