A missionary once told me a story about a missions trip that he had taken to Cambodia. After he had been there three weeks, the group he was with was tired and decided to take a day off. A nearby hotel had a swimming pool on the third floor, so they went there for a day of relaxation. It was an incredibly hot day with barely a breeze, so it was a welcome relief to jump into the pool and cool off.
However, while this man was sitting by the pool relaxing, he started to smell a really bad smell, like rotten garbage. To avoid the smell, he would dunk himself under the water for as long as he could. But it wasn’t successful. After about 45 seconds, he would have to come up again and take a large gulp of smelly air.
Finally he decided to see what the problem was. He peered over the railing and immediately identified the problem. It was a heaping and overflowing dumpster of garbage. The huge dumpster could barely be seen because it was so overfilled with garbage. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of flies covering the garbage.
Suddenly he felt like God was asking him a question, “What do you see?”
“Let me tell you what I see,” he started, “garbage and flies, not a sweet sacrifice being offered to you. Telephone and electrical wires that look so dangerous that is surprising that nobody has been killed. A road that is barely a road – just a bunch of pot holes that are so big that it is surprising cars don’t fall down into them. “ On and on he went, criticizing everything as he looked down from the third floor of the nice hotel.
Once he had finished, the Holy Spirit asked him another question, “Do you want to know what I see?” He was a little surprised. He asked God, “Okay, what did you see that I haven’t already mentioned?”
The response shocked him. It was not what he expected. The Lord said, “I see people—many lost, hurting, confused people—that is what I see.”
Suddenly he felt humbled. Why had he not seen as God sees?
Does that ever happen to us? When you look around, what do you see? Do you see what you lack? Do you see what you don’t have and wish you have? Do you see people as alcoholics or drunks or do you see them as God’s creation? Do you see children as good or bad or do you see them as loved by God?
There are many examples in the Bible where people didn’t see things as God saw them. In the Old Testament we see the story of Elisha and his servant (2 Kings 6:8-23). The enemy king became frustrated because every time he went to attack Israel, God would warn Israel through the prophet Elisha. At first the king assumed that someone in his army was telling the Israelites, but the officers explain it was Elisha. The king decided to capture him. At night he surrounded the city where Elisha was. That morning Elisha’s servant got up to discover that they were surrounded.
“What should we do my lord,” the servant asked.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those that are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (v. 15-17)
Through human eyes the situation looked bad. Their city was surrounded by the enemy, there was no way to escape. It was hopeless. But God opened the eyes of the servant, so he could see the truth. They were not alone. God was with them. He had soldiers ready to fight for them. What looked hopeless in human eyes was not hopeless at all.
God who is able to do the impossible can help us in even the most impossible of situations. Even when it seems hopeless, we need to ask God to show us how things really are. Ask Him to show us what to do next. In the case of Elisha, God blinded the eyes of the enemy and Elisha captured the whole raiding party single-handedly! Never believe a situation is so hopeless that God can not help. Do you have a child that has abandoned you and refuses to come home? Pray for him. With God all things are possible. Ask God to help you see things as He sees them. Ask God to give you the next step. Look around your community, does it seem like there are so many needs that change is impossible? Ask God to show you your community as He sees it.
During Jesus’ life on earth, often His disciples and those around Him did not see things as Jesus did. In Mark 8:1-21 Jesus looks on the four thousand people that he has been teaching and has compassion on them. He reminds His disciples that the people have been there three days and have nothing to eat. He is worried that if they were to go home they would collapse from hunger. But the disciples only see the problem. How can we get enough food here? We are in such a remote place! It will cost too much!
Whose eyes do we look at the world through – Jesus eyes or those of the disciples? Do we see ways to meet needs or do we just see problems? Do we look with faith or do we look at things practically? You will remember in this story that God fed the people by multiplying a few loaves and fishes. God has not changed, he can still do miracles.
In Mark 10:13-15 we read that people brought their children to Jesus. The disciples rebuked them, assumedly because they thought that Jesus had more important things to do. But Jesus touched the children and blessed them. He reminded us that the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are childlike. The disciples saw a nuisance, but Jesus saw God’s precious creation worthy of his time and love. What do we see when we look at children or others who are difficult to love? Do we see them with our eyes or do we see them with God’s eyes?
We need to learn to look with God’s eyes and not our own. As you look around today, ask God to show you what He sees. As you see needs in your community, ask God to show you how to respond. As you see difficult people, ask God to show you the love He has for them.
Download
PDF VersionDownload
Word Version
