Ephesians 5:1-2 – Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
THEME OF THE DAY: SEEING PEOPLE THROUGH JESUS’ EYES. The population of the world is roughly 7.4 billion. 322 million of these people or 4.3% live in the United States. In the place most of us call home, Rhode Island, a little over a million individuals also call it home. From the world to our country and to our state, that is a lot of people. Yet, if we were to categorize them, we find found only two groups. Yes, only two. There are those people who are outside of Christ, separated from God. There are those in Christ, reconciled with God. Is that how we see people, all people, both far and near? Even those type of people who “rub us” wrong whether it be an estranged family member, pesky neighbor, difficult co-worker, or self-absorbed fellow Christian? Think about this for a moment. What would happen if we started seeing people as God does through the lens of these two categories? It would revolutionize our lives. Actually, I think we might even call this a “reviving” in our lives. If God renewed our hearts and minds to see people either in Christ or outside of Christ, our understanding and living of the Christian life would be radically realigned. It would become distinctively Biblical because we would then be “Jesus-like” in all our relationships. Let’s consider just what this radical realignment would look like in our lives lived out. And we will begin with seeing people in category one – outside of Christ; hell-bound sinners.
If we begin to see people who are not Christians through our Lord’s eyes, two things will happen. First, we will not be shocked over their behavior. Sinful outbursts in speech, ungodly conduct, and obsessive selfishness will not catch us surprised. Dogs bark, birds sing, and lions roar. It is their nature. I would be wide-eyed if my dog Jake went to the window and at the sight of a rabbit let out a loud lion’s roar! Why should we be caught off guard when sinners sin? It is their nature. We cannot expect sinners to act like saints. They are incapable. The second thing that will happen if we see unsaved people through Jesus’ eyes is our burden for their salvation will intensify. Friends, it is a contradiction of our profession of faith to lack a passion for the lost and be silent in proclaiming the Gospel to them. Study the New Testament paying attention to what people did when Christ saved and changed them; they couldn’t keep it quiet. They had to tell people and that everywhere. Compassion for the lost only comes by seeing the lost through the eyes of Jesus. Don’t let the busyness of life and spiritual neglect cause us to see sinners as “irritating people” and be critical toward them. If we are healthy in our walk with the Lord Jesus, we will have compassion on sinners and be actively seeking to show them the Friend of sinners, the Lord Jesus.
The second category of people are those in Christ; fellow believers. Should we start seeing them as the Lord does, two things will happen in our attitudes and actions. First, we will not criticize, slander, talk negatively about them, spread gossip, hurt, neglect, abuse, take for granted, hold grudges, or be indifferent toward them. Those attitudes are worldly and characterize the way sinners treat each other. If we are professing Christians and we easily talk down or talk negatively about other believers and churches, we are two things; gravely ill spiritually and in need of deep repentance. Christians who see other Christians as Jesus does know they are His property, the sheep of His pasture, and we handle them with love and encouraging care – always. We know the Lord loves and protects His sheep and will not tolerate “wolf-like” behavior toward them by other sheep. The next thing which will happen in our relationships with other Christians if we see them as Christ does is we will be active in the ministries of prayer and encouragement toward them. We will be known by our love shown to the sheep of His pasture. We will be consistently reaching out to lift up a brother and sister. Our reputation will be known as encouragers and burden bearers. We won’t be the type of Christians that when people see us coming, they begin to dread and endure our presence. No, they will welcome and embrace our presence. Yes, the world is filled with a lot of people, but there are only two categories. Do we see them as such? Jesus does. May He help us do likewise and respond in love to both.
PRAYER: “Father, help me see all people as You see them; in need of Your Son or in Your Son.”
QUOTE: “If we are controlled by Christ’s love, then we see people as He does and respond in love to all of them”