Tidbits for Thought

EYES THAT SEE

Matthew 6:22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light."

God gave us the magnificent gift of sight. How we use that gift depends a lot on individual perspective. For instance, I can look at a large boulder and simply see a rock. A person who has a passion for landscaping can look at that same boulder and see it as the centerpiece and focus of a beautiful garden fountain. We all tend to draw different conclusions about things we see. This fact brings up some powerful questions that have eternal implications.

Do we actually see people when we encounter them? Do we look in their eyes and see a child of God who is struggling? Do we see the worry that is in the eyes of a young mother mentally counting dollars and cents as the checker rings up her groceries? Do we see the decision making going on in the mind of the elderly man at the doctor’s office as he mentally juggles his bills to cover the co-pay and prescription costs for his diabetes or liver disease? Do we see the resignation and defeat in the eyes of a homeless drifter who asks for a dollar or two? Do we see the exhaustion in the body of a young man working a second job at Door Dash just to try to feed and clothe his kids? Do we see the desperation in the life of an undocumented immigrant when he and his family are so unfairly persecuted in our country today. 

Jesus is abundantly clear when He tells us very plainly that He is present in the suffering of these who are hungry or thirsty or the stranger among us. (Matthew 25:31-46) Do we see Him there or do we close our eyes in the name of reality? Do we close our eyes in the name of “law and order?” Do we refuse to see because of any number other rationalisms?  

If our eyes are wide open, we might be more inclined to give a few dollars or provide a simple meal to the next hungry or homeless person we encounter. If we believe that Jesus is present in the person of a stranger, we might be more open to understanding his or her dangerous journey to a country that promises freedom for all and understand that the majority, contrary to what is continually screamed at us, are not criminals. If we can see Jesus in the life of a struggling person with a different life-style, we might better understand their search for love and acceptance. If we see Jesus clearly in all people, we might be more willing to extend simple respect to another individual who is searching for answers as they struggle with spiritual meaning in life or to better understand the hateful bigot.

Even though we don’t have the long-range solutions for which the world is searching, the Christian community is in a unique position of being led by the One who does have all the answers. It is up to us to use our vision to clearly see the challenges and then read and study and do our very best to understand His words as they pertain to those challenges. This could prompt us to open our eyes and our hearts and try, to the very best of our abilities, to make a small difference in the individual lives we touch today.

Think about it!      ~ Aron Smith