by Michael A. Asher
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I SEE . . .”
Before the truth contained in the Scriptures is revealed to us, we are hopelessly lost sinners separated from God. We are blind to the spiritual world around us. We see only as the world sees. The moment we choose to accept the gift of salvation and become born-again believers by following Jesus as Lord, we are given new life. We should no longer be spiritually blind, but we should see with new eyes through the Holy Spirit that God has provided for us.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV).
Jesus asks his followers to take up their cross daily and follow him. This means to set aside self and repent, or turn away, from the sin in our lives and choose God’s way, not our own. We must begin to see the world through the eyes of Jesus.
Jesus’ Eyes
Whenever Jesus met a person, he viewed them with compassion, hoping they would respond to his ministry of truth and be saved. However, he wanted them to openly choose to follow him, not be coerced into it. He was fully aware of the precarious position they were in, separated from God by their sinful nature, thoughtfully warning them of the consequences of sin and teaching them how to become children of God. Everything Jesus did to serve the people flowed from his overwhelming love for them. He loved them enough to sacrifice himself for them. When he looked upon someone, his vision penetrated their souls to their greatest concerns, worries, and needs—even those that remained unspoken. He viewed them through a spiritual prism rather than how one is seen through the eyes of the sinful world.
“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’” (Matthew 9:36-38, NKJV).
Jesus Christ saw the multitudes differently than the disciples did; he saw them beyond their surface level. He empathized with their deep needs individually; Jesus saw the invisible things that no one else could see; Jesus truly saw them in their heart of hearts! As he weighed their weariness caused by the cares of the world and their great need for spiritual guidance, he was moved with genuine compassion for all of them by personally involving himself in their circumstances. He reminded them of the One who loves them with an unsurpassed, everlasting love—the Lord himself.
Seeing Others as Jesus Sees Them
This is what it means to see with spiritual eyes, to see what God sees. He saw the people vulnerable and scattered as lost sheep without a shepherd. Beloved child of God, what are you seeing and what is happening in your heart when you engage with others in your life? When you look at your family, community, workplace, or your nation, what are you seeing? Our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth with eyes wide open to the needs of all people. He came to faithfully fulfill his mission to die on a cross to save us, even though we were all sinners. He tasks us with sharing the good news of the gospel so those who are lost, too, can be saved. How can we do this if we do not see them as Jesus sees them?
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV).
Lean not upon your own understanding in this, but trust in the Lord to provide in you the motivation to love others as he would have you love them. Live the life God has provided you with more compassion, more mercy, more understanding, more forgiveness, more patience, and most importantly, with more unselfish love for those God first loved who appear in your presence. Lead others to the miraculous truth contained in the Scriptures by asking the Holy Spirit to partner with you to boldly proclaim Jesus as the only one who can save them. Ask God for his vision; his discernment; his depth of understanding; and his patience.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2, NIV).
A Lens of Love
Think upon a time in your own life when you felt unheard or invisible, but someone recognized your need and truly listened to your problems, led you to a better place spiritually, and you finally felt understood. In the simplest terms, pray in moments of recognized need, offer encouraging words, perform small acts of kindness, be unselfish on purpose, set a living example of steadfastness in faith, and provide spiritual discernment in a world opposed to God.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV, emphasis mine).
Implore God to provide heavenly vision to see the world as he sees it; to witness with eyes to see the lost and broken around you. Ask God to give you ears to hear their heart and their desperate need for Jesus. Ask God to provide in you the discipline and the insight to see each person as opportunities for God’s glory, not obstacles. Finally, ask for the power to share the love of Christ with them.
Every conversation we have is an occasion to share the gospel if we are intentional about it. Lord, help us to always see the opportunities that present themselves for your kingdom.
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me’” (Matthew 25:37-40, NIV).
To see people as Jesus would means we should see them through a lens of love. With empathy and heartfelt compassion, we have the opportunity to meet them in their time of need. In so doing, we are not only looking at them through Jesus’ eyes, we are, in a very real way, his hands and feet.
Michael A. Asher is a financial controller who has nourished a lifelong love of the Bible by sharing God’s Word through creative writing. His first book, Choosing to Follow Jesus on This Journey Called Life, was recently released. You can find it here.