We attended Living Stones Church yesterday. Bill Barley asked whether we saw as Jesus saw. He gave us a homework assignment to skim through the gospels and observe how many times the authors wrote that “Jesus saw” or “Jesus noticed” or any other similar phrase. We discussed how the Father pays attention to the sparrows and how much more He pays attention to us, knowing even the number of hairs on our head. Matthew 10:29.
He then talked specifically about John 9. In that passage we learn about the man born blind. I love the observations Bill made in his sermon.
The disciples saw a theological conundrum. Who sinned that this man should be blind from birth?
The neighbors saw a nobody, a beggar, and they never paid enough attention to this man to even recognize him after he was healed.
The Pharisees saw a rule breaker. They didn’t see the power of God. Jesus had made mud as he healed and had broken the law.
Meanwhile, Jesus saw an opportunity to glorify the Father by demonstrating the Father’s love.
Isn’t that beautiful? And, here’s the challenge: We should be seeing as Jesus sees. We need to be paying attention to the opportunities before us to serve in the power of God’s love. It begins with paying attention to God – being still and waiting on Him – meditating on His Word and listening for His voice and direction.
Then we must pay attention to people. This is more than just any tool or trick a counselor may use to give the appearance of openness to the one being counseled; this is intentionally paying attention to another. We must listen and not focus on what we are going to say (this is especially hard for me).
Lord, give us eyes to see as You see. And help us to respond to what we see in the way You would.