There are many symbols that people associate with Jesus Christ. For some, it is the cross. For others, it is the crown of thorns. But for me, the symbol that speaks most loudly of Him is not the one of His suffering—but the truth of His resurrection.

The cross was the world’s choice. The empty tomb was His.

I do not bear the cross in my home, my curriculum, or my work—not because I reject Christ, but because I honor the living one. I do not need a reminder of how He died. I am living proof of why He lived again.

In His Image

The scriptures tell us from the beginning that God created man and woman in His image. That means something deeper than we often let it. It means we carry divinity in our form, in our hearts, and in our calling. If we are His children, then our image is already sacred—no paintbrush or sculpture can define that for us.

But over time, some chose to portray Christ only in their image—one culture, one skin tone, one set of features. The tragedy in that is not just historical—it’s spiritual. When people only see Christ in a painting of someone unlike themselves, they may begin to believe He is not for them, or that they must change to fit Him.

But Christ never asked us to alter our faces. He asked us to change our hearts.

The Christ Who Walks with Us

The Book of Mormon teaches us of the Christ who appeared to the people in the Americas, after His resurrection. But I believe—like many others—that His love was never limited to one fold. His voice called to other sheep. His path reached beyond what was recorded in any one volume. He was, and is, a world traveler—not in vanity, but in mission.

So when I hear ancient stories from tribes in this land, of a light-skinned teacher or a radiant being who taught peace, I don’t scoff. I listen. Because if He appeared in Bountiful, why not in other valleys, other mountains, other families?

And if His mother, Mary, fled to Egypt and found refuge there, why do we doubt that she too might have traveled far after His ascension? Would a mother not want to walk the world her son saved?

Living Symbols, Not Dead Icons

We don’t need crosses to remember Christ. We need lives that reflect Him.

In my family, in my classroom, in my Creekerhood, we honor Him through:

  • The dove, representing the Holy Ghost.
  • The tree of life, for eternal family.
  • The light, for His resurrection.
  • The scripture, for His living word.

These are the living emblems of our faith.

A Call to See Him in Each Other

Today, I invite you to look in the mirror—not with vanity, but with reverence.

Ask yourself: Do I see Christ in my eyes? In my children? In my neighbor?

He lives. Not just above us, but beside us. Through us. In the faces of those we love—and those we are still learning to love.

Let the world cling to the cross if it must. I will cling to the Christ who walked out of the tomb. The Christ who speaks to me, teaches me, and trusts me to raise others in His name—not with fear, but with joy.

He lives, and because He lives, I live. I will not portray Him in death.
I reflect Him in through my life.

✍️ K. Kirton Niner
Creeker. Artist. Believer. Teacher of his Living Word.