Articles

See For Yourself

When I was sixteen, I saw a picture in National Geographic of the most beautiful place I’d ever seen. It was a picture of the Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland. I brought it into my dad’s office to show him.

‘Dad, have you ever seen anything so beautiful?!’

I wanted to live into that picture.

My dad could tell, and it put an idea in his mind. A few months later, he announced triumphantly that for my high school graduation, he was going to take the family to Europe, and one of the featured destinations would be the Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland.

My heart exploded in my chest in anticipation of living into that picture.

We arrived at the Lauterbrunnen Valley at night, and took a cog rail high up the mountains to a village called Murren. It was pitch black when we arrived. I couldn’t see a thing.

I sat on the porch of our chalet at about midnight and dreamed of what my surroundings might be. There were no words for what awaited me.

As the sun rose, the three great mountains; the Monch, the Eiger, and the Jungfrau—each heavily glaciated—rose up before me like unspeakably radiant jewels.

The villages of Gimmelwald, Grindelwald, and Wengen were perfectly situated on the cliffs, surrounded by alpine pastures, waterfalls, wildflowers, Swiss yodeling, cheese and cowbells.

I thought I was in heaven. I had never seen something so beautiful. I just held up my hands and praised God.

I had to tell others.

So the next thing I did was I bought postcards and wrote to everyone; my girlfriend at the time, my cousins, my friends… using an endless list of adjectives in an attempt to explain what I had seen. I wanted them to see also.

My dad could bring me only so far. I eventually had to see for myself. Then I had to tell others.

Have you seen Jesus?

Those who have can only take you so far with words. They can show you his people, a picture of his new life of self-giving love, but you need to see him for yourself. The Son needs to rise in your heart.

When he does, you’ll want nothing more than to tell others.