What Do You See?

We are so often wired by external factors that dictate what we see. We often make assumptions based on visual cues and even bias. We often do this with things we physically see but then we translate them into assumptions that go beyond the physical. I have been on the end of these assumptions many times but recently God challenged me by showing something in a new way. I had a dream of being in a building where many people were gathered waiting for me to speak. As they waited I entered from the back of the room, slowly easing my walker down the aisle toward the front. I am slower these days due to the health battles I have been facing and I get easily winded. So after what seemed a lengthy wait where everyone just watched me make the walk I finally arrived at a chair that had been placed for me at the front. As I sat down I was handed a microphone and as I took a steadying breath I said “what do you see when you look at me?” No one responded. I offered some ideas based on what they physically saw; “a disabled person, someone who is suffering, struggling physically etc. Slowly some heads nodded slightly.

What God showed me was that none of these people were being mean spirited but they weren’t seeing fully. He also challenged my heart that I too often do not see fully. So I asked Him what do you see? He went on to tell me that He saw a precious daughter who has won many victories and who is continuing to walk out His victory for me.  He told me that He saw a daughter that He rejoiced over and one He loves dearly.

I thought about this and all that I have gone through in the last 15 months or so. When I first found out I had stage four cancer I honestly didn’t have any strength. I was on oxygen constantly, I could not stand for more than 30 seconds without searing pain that did not ease up even when I sat down. I could hardly walk at all and I had absolutely no strength. When I look at myself now I realized I rarely require oxygen, I can walk and get around my house mostly without my walker, I am on a regular exercise schedule thanks to my physical therapist. There are so many other milestones but I digress. Sure from the outside I still look like I have so far to go but not when measured against how far He has helped me to come.

As I sat and pondered this I wondered how often as believers do we allow this type of perspective? Are there times when we see someone in a light that leads us to an assumption about them, their faith or their personality? Do we assume their level of faith because they are possibly battling something? God has challenged me to ask myself this question often as I move forward “what do you see”?

Many times these assumptions lead us to try and place people in positions that are unfair and inaccurate. There is no room for pedestals or pitfalls in the kingdom of God. We are on one level just trying to grow in our faith and learn more about Jesus. We cannot base our thoughts on what we see for we are very limited in our sight. We need to see through His heart and His love only. We need to hear from the Holy Spirit how best to love and encourage ourselves and others, for His eyesight is the only perfect sight.