God-goggles

Do you see what God sees? Are you looking at things through His eyes, His point of view?

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." Genesis 16:13

"His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step. Job 34:21

would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? Psalm 44:21

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

God watches us. Not just you... ALL of us. And what He sees is different from what the world sees. Not just because He can but He is searching for something different than the world looks for.

But when God looks at us He sees the Truth. There is still failure and disappointment... but He sees the heart. The heart that would have succeeded. The heart that already knows it came up short. The heart that wants to do better. He sees who is trying to be more like Him... and who isn't.

So, when you see people, what do you look for?

because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Hebrews 10:14

...and...

Then he adds: Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17

People do not = their sins! So why do we see someone's sin when we look at them? If they are believers and pursuing a right relationship with Christ, He says He doesn't see their sins. And if they are not:

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

God didn't wait until we were good to die for us. So why do we wait until people are "good" to love them?

I'm not saying that we should ignore sin. I'm not condoning any actions that God has called sin. It is not Christ-like to act in a way that we would be mistaken for a non-believer. Reaching out does not mean joining in. Jesus hung out with the thieves and tax collectors and the untouchables. It is Christ-like to reach out to them and for our hearts to ache for them and for us to desire them to be saved.

I do believe we should lovingly rebuke our brothers and sisters in Christ. But We should not be condemning them. And we should be able to see past it and LOVE THEM.

Who then will condemn us? No one--for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us. Romans 8:34

This world, because of satan's influence, is bent toward looking for the worst in everyone. Most human eyes seek out failure and disappointment... just waiting to shout "I told you so! Not perfect! Not good enough!". If you seek out the bad, you WILL find it. People will never fail to live up to your expectations... What YOU see is what you get...

So put your God-goggles on!