It Starts Small

¹⁵ How beautiful you are, my darling.
How very beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.

Songs 1:15

The Groom’s words to the bride are imbued with deep passion and insistence – “Behold, you are fair.” He repeats this profound declaration, hammering home the undeniable truth: You are breathtakingly beautiful. You are profoundly seen. You are fiercely loved. His gaze is unwavering, fully captivated by her enchanting eyes – “dove’s eyes.” This imagery symbolizes purity, unwavering devotion, and serene peace. The emphasis is not on flaws but on an all-encompassing love. Spiritually, this verse resonates with how Christ views His church. He sees us not through the lens of judgment, but with overwhelming adoration. He calls us beautiful even when we struggle to feel worthy. This is the very essence of grace: to be acknowledged in our imperfection and still boldly declared lovely.

¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

Theologically, Songs 1:15 and 1 Corinthians 13:12 ignite a profound yearning within us – a desire to be wholly known and endlessly loved. The apostle Paul passionately assures us that, although right now we perceive life through a foggy lens, there will come a glorious day when all will be revealed in crystal clarity. This fervent longing begins to find its fulfillment in Christ, even in this moment. Jesus intimately understands every facet of our being, and His love for us remains unwavering, transcending all boundaries.

Psychologically, being truly known is an essential human need that resonates deep within us. When we are merely acknowledged on the surface, loneliness becomes our unwelcome companion. Yet, when someone recognizes our innermost essence and embraces it wholeheartedly, everything transforms. This is the profound gift that Christ offers. Neuroscience reinforces this vital truth: emotional intimacy and secure connections forge the strongest neural bonds. When someone sees us for who we truly are and affirms our worth, it anchors our very identity. With Christ, we are liberated from the burden of performance—we are fully accepted, just as we are.

This final day of this study is a profound call to stop hiding and to embrace the truth that being seen by Jesus is not only safe but transformative. To believe that His gaze, which is full of kindness and compassion, invites us to lay down our burdens and fears instead of hiding behind our insecurities. His eyes, filled with love, remind us that we are cherished just as we are, not for what we do, but for who we are in Him. In His eyes, you are already more than enough; you are valued and worthy, deserving of grace and acceptance. Let this realization empower you to step into the light, shedding the shadows of doubt and shame as you begin to see yourself through His loving perspective.

Journal Prompt:

• What does it feel like to image Jesus looking at you with love?
• What part of your heart is still afraid to be fully known?
• Read 1 Corinthians 13 and highlight every description of love you long to receive. (See below Deeper Introspection)

Practical Steps and Application:

1. Sit in silence and visualize Jesus Saying, “Behold, you are fair.”
2. Write a letter to God, expressing your desire to be known and loved.

Deeper Introspection:

Read the following scriptures:

13 If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, ⁵ is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. ⁶ Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. ⁷ It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. ¹³ Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13

⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

Revelation 21:4

⁷ For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.

Matthew 5:8

The verse 1 Corinthians 13:12 describes the limitations of our current knowledge and perspective, contrasting it with the perfect and complete understanding we will have in the future. It uses the metaphor of seeing a “dim reflection in a mirror” now, but one day seeing “face to face”. This promise offers a powerful perspective on faith, hope, and eternity.

Reflecting on current limitations

• The distorted reflection: Consider current struggles or mysteries, such as unanswered questions, confusing circumstances, or inexplicable pain. This verse may remind you that you see only a dim and partial reflection of God’s full plan.
• Embracing the partial: Paul states, “Now I know in part.” Instead of frustration with limited understanding, how can you trust God’s wisdom despite not having all the answers? Journal about a situation where it was necessary to accept that the full picture was not visible.
• Moving past childish ways: In the verses leading up to this one, Paul compares his old, childish way of thinking to the maturity that comes from a deeper understanding of God (1 Corinthians 13:11). What are some “childish” ways of thinking about God that you are working to put away?

Looking forward to perfect clarity

• A “face-to-face” encounter: The promise of seeing “face to face” offers a vision of ultimate intimacy and clarity with God. Describe what this perfect union might be like. What questions do you long to have answered, and what will it feel like to finally understand God’s heart fully?
• Rest in being fully known: The verse culminates with the promise, “then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” This is a comforting thought, as it means we are already intimately known and loved by God. Write about what it feels like to be completely seen and accepted by God, even with imperfections.
• Trusting the Master Weaver: The promise of future clarity should influence how you live now. Reflect on the metaphor of a quilt, where from our side we only see the messy knots and loose threads, but the Master Weaver sees the full picture. How can you trust God’s craftsmanship even when your life looks like a tangled mess?

Prompts based on supporting scriptures

• Hope for eternity: This verse, and the entirety of 1 Corinthians 13, are placed in a broader context of eternal hope. Meditate on Revelation 21:4, which says God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more.” How does the hope of a clear, face-to-face vision of God provide comfort and peace amid suffering and pain?
• Seeing God through faith, not sight: In 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul says, “we walk by faith, not by sight.” How does this verse connect with 1 Corinthians 13:12? How can you exercise faith and trust God’s heart even when you can’t clearly see his hand?
• The path to seeing God: Jesus taught that “the pure in heart… shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). How does pursuing a pure heart through confession and repentance bring you closer to seeing God more clearly, even in this life?

---

© Kimberlee Smith 2026 http://www.itstartssmall.com All rights reserved.