Seeing With His Eyes…
My mind has a hard timing thinking about how many people there are walking the earth. I find myself thinking about these things often, particularly when I am with large crowds. At the State Fair, for example, sometimes I try to imagine how many people have walked down the same path I’m on or stood in line for a corn dog. When I find myself in stalled traffic, I wonder about the stories of the people in the cars beside me. I am amazed to realize that the people I’m with at any given moment at a mall, concert, or driving down the Interstate are just a tiny percentage of the world’s population.
I tend to catch myself seeing them as just crowds of people and fitting them into stereotypes based on what I see. As I look out at a crowd, I wonder what stories are out there, what hurts, what victories, what illnesses, what worries, what hidden sins. I’m sure there are those with broken hearts, fear, uncertainty, terminal illnesses, and worry as well as good news from the doctor, job promotions, or restored relationships. While I think about this things in general, I don’t often take the time to notice the individual faces instead of just the crowd.
But have you ever stopped to think about how God sees all these people? It’s not just a crowd zooming down the Interstate or a crowded mall of shoppers to Him. He knows and loves each and every one whether they know it or not. He knew the plans for each one’s life before they were born. He cares about the details like how many hairs are on our heads (Matthew 10:30). Talk about mind boggling! What a wonderful, amazing God we serve.
Do you have that same love for people? This is a question I’ve asked myself lately. Obviously I don’t know the number of hairs on their heads or even their names. But I know I need to look at them as God looks at them.
“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7
I need to see them as individuals with real problems, real dreams, real needs.
There is a song I’ve heard on the radio that has made me think about this even more. It’s called “Give Me Your Eyes” by Brandon Heath. (Click on his name and you can listen to the song on the album at the top.) Here is the chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
This is my prayer today.
Help me, Lord, to see the people around me as You see them. Help me to see their hearts, not just what is on the outside. Let me see individuals and not just a crowd. Fill me with Your love for them. Let me show them that You love them and they are special.
Have a day of blessings!
Visit me at Raindrops & Rainbows.
Amen, amen.
I hear the song often on the radio. I too ask God that do notice the needs of the people around me. May He grant my request at least once a day.
Thank you so much for sharing from your heart, Bethany.
it is pretty weird to think of the gizzions of people, each individual with needs, desires, loved by God. I do want to help people….to know Him,….to know freedom……
Bethany, I have often had the same thoughts … about all the people in the world, in our state, in our city and it always blows my mind that God knows each one by name. I can hardly remember the names of my four kids, let alone the entire world! God is amazing. Thanks for sharing with us today!
The Lord has been making me more aware of others needs as my family has struggled lately. It made me realize how much more others are in need and to look into the eyes of people… they are the windows of the soul… So many people need the Lord… So many people need our prayers…
Love you dear friend…
Bethany, that was a beautiful post. That song tweaks my heart too, the words mean so much…oh the pain we would really feel if we truly could have His eyes for just one second…everyone has a story, a long, long story.
Bethany, I was called for the same a while ago. In fact I have shared it in my blog (http://rosycaesar.webs.com/apps/blog/show/1728668-sweet-nothings-). Thanks for sharing the beautiful song.
The song comes to mind………….”Open my eyes, Lord”…………..I think we miss so much don’t we!
Bethany, it’s just like you to write a beautiful post like this! I remember one day while I was hiking my mountain, I asked the Lord to allow me to see others as He sees them. It really helped me to not judge so quickly. But it’s always good to be reminded.
You are a good example of this as you reach out to others, including me.
Love you,
Debbie
HI Bethany,
But have you ever stopped to think about how God sees all these people?
Blows my mind…
Great post.. Love you girl.