You never know what is going on in someone’s life… We are only able to look at the outside demeanor of a person, but God looks at the heart. Can you imagine what it would be like if God gave us the ability to see others as they REALLY are? Imagine being in a room of people and seeing them as God sees them, I think we’d see in a totally different perspective. Visualize seeing a gathering of people – their thoughts, their wounds, their experiences, their weaknesses, seeing them as they REALLY are. Raw and real…. Maybe if we think of people from God’s point of view and not the earthly one sided one, we see, we’d be more compassionate.
I thank God that He is such a loving a God that He does not allow us to see the full picture all the time. He is a gracious God. One who knows our limitations. He is merciful. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:9-13:
“For we know in part and prophesy in part but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Maybe in order to love others in the way God wants us to love, we need to try to take off our one-dimension vision and put on His vision. Pray that God would help us to see people as He sees them… We live in a fallen world that is becoming darker and darker each day, and those of us who are part of God’s Remnant have got to pray for better vision of others so that we can love as He wants us to love because He has called us to love what in the world we might deem as the “unlovable.” In God’s eyes, everyone is lovable – but He sees the fullness of a person from a different perspective than what we do. Maybe our prayer should be, “God give me eyes to see as You see…” Maybe that would make us more compassionate and better able to pray more effectively for people. He sees the very depth of a person’s heart. While we only see the rough, hard unlovable (perhaps) exterior.
The days are growing darker and we need to be prayed up mighty much and to make sure that we are dressed in spiritual armor, in full protection as in Ephesians 6:13-17 so that we can stand firm in our faith and IN LOVE.
“Therefore, take up the full armor of God so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
I feel as though this is something that at first will feel hard to do, seeing outside of ourselves, outside of our own feelings and experiences and asking God to give us eyes to see as He sees, this is different from what we are used to doing – but I believe this is what God is calling us to do for HIS purposes. And it can feel uncomfortable trying to change the way we see others, but in order to pray more effectively and be the Light of Christ, we may have to ask Him to give us love and discernment in our spirits so that we can see people with His eyes, in the way He sees them. Maybe this is how Jesus was able to be compassionate, He saw people as they REALLY were…
“Father God, thank You for loving us in spite of ourselves. Thank You for looking “beyond” the surface of us into the deep crevices of who we REALLY are. You see the experiences; you see ALL of us what has made us who we are. You want us to love as You love and the only way we can do this – is to have eyes to see as You see, especially in this day and age. Forgive us when we haven’t looked at others with eyes that love. Forgive us when we have only looked at the “surface” level of others and deemed them unlovable. Help us to have eyes to see as You see so that we can walk in the manner YOU would have us walk. Strengthen us Father and give us YOUR perception. Thank You for this Word and thank You for seeing BEYOND our sometimes “unlovable” surfaces into the depths of who we are and meeting us there. Please help us to live and move and have our being firmly grounded in You and in Your Word. Change what needs changing within us so that the Light of Christ can shine more radiantly in us drawing ALL others to You. We love You Father. In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN”
Okay – next time you are in a room with people, pray that God will help you to walk in love. Pray that God will help You to see those around you as He sees them. The changes in vision may surprise you and fill you with a love and understanding that only comes from God Himself. Remember Who YOU are in Him and the love of Christ which passes ALL understanding will radiate through you and illuminate circumstances and situations as never before. Eyes that see, ears to hear and hearts that understand… He will draw ALL men unto Him, through your willingness to love as He has called us to love. GOD WINS.
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