Are You Wearing Clear or Tainted Lenses?
“Words are like eyeglasses, they blur everything that they do not make clear” – Joseph Joubert
When you look at people, how do you see them? Do you process their worth by their appearance, clothing, job title, car, or neighborhood? As you know, we have a tendency to judge people based on their outward circumstances and not by the “treasure” hidden inside of them. Even in Scripture, it says: For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
Do You See Potential Winners or Losers?
Jesus never saw people as losers, but as potential winners who had lost their way. He “was moved with compassion for them” (Mark 6:34 NKJV). He always saw the masses who came after Him through the eyes of the Father—not with tainted lenses, but through clear spectacles. To Him, people were not weeds, but they were potential fruit-bearing plants and trees. One thing that attracted some and infuriated others was that Jesus’ eyesight was so different from the religious and world system of His day. It drew out the best in people who were looking for God.
See Them Through “Son Glasses”
Consider “the woman at the well” in John chapter four. Those who knew her saw a female with five failed marriages, while Jesus saw a completely restored, beautiful woman who would change the lives of others in Samaria once she believed. When Jesus encountered a blind man, He was spiritually envisioning someone who could see clearly. When the people around Him were seeing a cripple, Jesus was picturing in His mind a man picking up his mat and walking away in freedom (John 5:8).
While the Jew saw Matthew as a condemned tax collector, Jesus saw in his heart a future disciple who would help to change the world. Those around Jesus dismissed Zacchaeus as a crook, but Jesus recognized a repentant searching heart. When His disciples saw crazy expensive perfume bought at an unnecessary cost, Jesus recognized a woman who poured out a prized possession from a grateful heart. Many people saw Peter as an impulsive, loud-mouthed fisherman always putting “his foot in his mouth,” but Jesus saw a great leader who could build His church. Are you beginning to see a pattern?
Nails Versus New Life!
At the most painful time in Jesus’ life, hundreds of onlookers watched Roman soldiers laughing and mocking as they pounded nails into His human flesh, but Jesus saw blind men who didn’t know what they were doing. Because of that as He hung on the Cross, He asked the Father to forgive them (Luke 23:34). Because Jesus always saw into the Spirit, His words were contrary to what was going on around Him in His circumstances. He demonstrated the kingdom by proclaiming life, and not death, over people. He died so that we can do the same, and greater! (John 14:12-14 NKJV).
Paul said it like this: “Just look at your own calling, believers; not many [of you were considered] wise according to human standards, not many powerful or influential, not many of high and noble birth” (1 Corinthians 1:26 AMP).
Limited View or Big Perspective – You Chose
We all have to face the facts: we weren’t so wonderful before God turned us around. It is for that reason that we need to stop seeing, judging, and speaking to others from our own limited perspective. Instead, we need to see them as God sees them. God will always declare over people what He sees from His heart—a heart of unconditional love, mercy, and goodness.
Don’t Look at People’s History, See Them as Their Destiny
We always need to speak His words over others from His higher perspective and never from our own pre-conceived thoughts and ideas. Even when we see otherwise circumstantially, it’s not the time to tell them who they are not, but to tell them who they truly are based on the Father’s heart.
Show Them “The One”
Always declare and work towards bringing out the best in others. Start introducing them to the One Who came to bring “great joy to all the people” (Luke 2:10 NCV). From God’s loving point of view, no people are exceptions!