It never ceases to amaze me how an image of a photograph can be clearer than the image I see with my own eyes. For instance, when I took this picture, I didn't see all the details in the wood, the spots and the lines and the varying shades. I know why my eyes aren't so sharp -- like with a lot of people, the lenses of my eyes are misshapen, but I also have a cataract that makes everything just a little blurrier. My eyes, the lenses, are the problems. But a camera's lenses are perfectly shaped, and you can adjust and magnify and do whatever it is that actually happens inside a camera to get a clear, close image of whatever you focus on. And it's what you see through the lenses that constitute how you see things.
That's how it's supposed to be with God, I think. As Christians, God is the lens that we're supposed to see through. He influences how you perceive what you see. So, when I'm looking through my personal lenses, when I see a homeless man on the street, what I see is someone that I'm a little afraid of because I've been told stories about dangerous men, because I'm afraid of germs, and because I simply don't know him. But when I see through God's lens, I see someone that I care about and love because he was created by God and is a human being. I see him and I know that he's been in so much pain, that he must have been through some horrible things to be where he is now. I know what it's like to suffer. I know what it's like to feel alone, to have people look right past me, or, if they know that I know they've made eye contact, quickly look away and pretend that nothing happened. And while I have the common sense not to go up to someone that looks threatening or a little crazy, I can still acknowledge them. I can smile, maybe say hello, and maybe, someday if I ever work up the courage and am not threatened, go and talk to him.
It's a work in progress. I know it is. But at least, when a friend hurts me, seeing through God's lenses helps me understand that even if I am right, even if I am hurt, that doesn't mean that I should seek retribution. After all, one of the core attributes of God is His grace. His mercy. His forgiveness. We've heard about how persecuted Jesus was, how mocked he was, and how he turned the other cheek. So although a part of me wants to be angry and never forgive, there's another that knows there's a better thing to do. That's the part influenced by God. That's the part that sees my damaging friend as a person that is struggling, as a person that just doesn't understand what he is doing. Somewhere deep inside, I know he is crying, which means that he deserves all the help I can give him. My friend, even if he ceases to become my friend, is someone that deserves grace, mercy, and forgiveness. And that doesn't mean I don't stick up for myself. It just means that when I speak, I do it kindly. I do it not with the intent to hurt but to mend a relationship that's in conflict.
I've got a bit of a head start because that's the way I was raised, with my Christian parents and a Christian life. But I know that, even if you're not a Christian, seeing through God's lens is the way to go. After all, if you were homeless, if you were a struggling, unknowingly inconsiderate friend, wouldn't you want someone to treat you like Jesus would? Wouldn't you want a smile from a kind stranger, encouraging words or a hug from a friend? Seeing through God's lens isn't easy -- it forces you to see what you might not want to see, realize what you might not want to realize. It might mean that you have to step out of your comfort zone, fight your fear. But if you're doing all these things for good, why not? You take risks as it is, so do it for good, and for a person that might need your help more than you know. See through God's lens, and although you might be surprised by what you see, I can guarantee you that it's worth seeing.
"Wake on up from your slumber, open up your eyes."
-Needtobreathe
No comments:
Post a Comment