Once a year I spend about an hour in the local dollar store, walking in the aisles and looking at everything they have in order to get ideas for making the homemade ornaments for the exchange every year. As I look at the items, ideas start flowing: a small lock becomes a soldier head with hat, a small santa suit on a hanger makes me see elf pants hanging up, and an artist’s easel becomes an ornamental one with a Christmas scene. This year I failed to see anything when I did my walk around so I had to resort to online ideas.
It has always been easier for me to do things if I see them done first (a visual learner). Reading a book, no matter how detailed, will not make sense in my head, but if I see it done and can ask pertinent questions, then all is well and I can do the job. That’s why this year I was shocked my walk about didn’t inspire any ideas. I wasn’t able to see anything.
Not quite the same as right now when I can’t find my glasses and since I need them to see far away, I can’t see clearly beyond the three feet zone. I hope I find them sometime in the next couple hours or my usual bloodhound (hubby) is going to have to look for them again- and he gets pretty tired of doing that for me. Seeing clearly, seeing blurry- did you know there are good sides to both of those, especially in the body of Christ.
I’m thinking that we should ‘see’ our brothers and sisters clearly with our eyes immersed in the love of Christ Jesus, and we should see their faults blurry like ‘me without glasses’*. We tend to see the outside appearances and judge a person based on what we see and hear instead of seeing the heart of the person like God. “For He does not see as man sees. For man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart.” (1Sm. 16:7 MKJV) So if we are to be made into the likeness of the Lord (Rom.
…that the members should have the same care one for another… 1Cor. 12:25 ,26
By this we have known the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 1Jh. 3:16 MKJV
We are all one body under Christ (Rom. 13:34 MKJV) So we should ‘see’ others in the way we would want them to see us- not for our many faults, but for the good things that exist in us; for we are all flawed and need to rely on the grace and mercy of the living God for salvation.
For this year I pray God will help me see others ‘through His eyes’ and not my own, so I can clearly see their value to God, the body and to me, and not see clearly their offenses and flaws. Maybe sometimes He can allow me to see when some are hurting or have a need I can help with. Other times what I see can lead to prayer. In all ways, I want to see the things that God wants me to see so I can do the things I ought to do- with and in love.
*Above all, continue to love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. (G266-offenses) 1Pt. 4:8 ISV
**…Believes the best in all, There is no limit to her hope… 1Cor. 13:7 ISV