I remember back in the 70's when Christian recording artist, Amy Grant, was in her prime. One of my favorite songs of her was My Father's Eyes (click to see the YouTube video). The lyrics are below:
I may not be every mother's dream for her little girl, And my face may not grace the mind of everyone in the world. But that's all right, as long as I can have one wish I pray: When people look inside my life, I want to hear them say, (Chorus) She's got her father's eyes, Her father's eyes; Eyes that find the good in things, When good is not around; eyes that find the source of help, When help just can't be found; Eyes full of compassion, seeing every pain;Knowing what you're going through and feeling it the same. Just like my father's eyes, my father's eyes, my father's eyes, Just like my father's eyes.
The chorus sums up the story. My favorite line is: “Eyes full of compassion, seeing every pain; knowing what you're going through and feeling it the same.” The question of the day is: Do I really want to have my Father’s eyes? Am I prepared to follow through with what I know He wants me to do if I take His eyes on as my own? I'm firmly convinced that the more we cultivate our relationship with the Lord, a deeper degree of spiritual tenderness and sensitivity will develop in our life. We will see people and life situations more clearly through the eyes of our Father and His Son through the help of the Holy Spirit.
But there is a cost involved. If we are really honest with ourselves, we know it's almost easier to ignore the needs and pain of others partly because of what is involved in reaching out -- using up so much of our physical, emotional and sometimes financial resources. But when you are intentional and purposeful in your desire and efforts to reach out to someone in need, you end up showing them who Jesus is by your actions. Sometimes we are the only Jesus these people will ever see!
Matthew 25:34-36 tells a story of a King who shares the following: "When the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
His followers questioned him by saying, in verses 38-39, "When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" The King replies in verse 40, by saying, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Whenever we reach out to others in Jesus' name and for His sake, we are doing it for Him, and the person you are helping is blessed in the process!
I think of a sweet woman from my church who has those kind of eyes. She sees a need and reaches out, in prayer, through a touch or hug or just by her actions. She has prayed for me in church during a worship service. She's hugged me when she has seen me in need or in tears when I've been struggling over something. She is being Jesus to me at that moment. She recently saw my Facebook post of mine where my electricity had been out for a while after a storm. She posted a note on my page and offered to let me and my family use her hot shower and serve us a nice breakfast. What an incredible woman!! This past Sunday, she saw a new family visiting the church with a very young child. She brought over some crayons and a coloring book and handed it to the parents so the little boy could have something to keep him busy during the service. She is a great example to me of how I want to be, and I pray for her that the Lord will continue to use her!
Thank you Jesus for bringing people into my life who show me Your love. There are several whom you have recently used to bless me and shower me with Your kindness. I see You in their eyes and I am deeply humbled. I ask that you enrich them with more blessings so they in turn can continue to be used of You to bless others. I also ask that you let me see others as You do - and that I will be diligent to reach out and love them as You would have me. Let me have My Father's Eyes. Amen
The chorus sums up the story. My favorite line is: “Eyes full of compassion, seeing every pain; knowing what you're going through and feeling it the same.” The question of the day is: Do I really want to have my Father’s eyes? Am I prepared to follow through with what I know He wants me to do if I take His eyes on as my own? I'm firmly convinced that the more we cultivate our relationship with the Lord, a deeper degree of spiritual tenderness and sensitivity will develop in our life. We will see people and life situations more clearly through the eyes of our Father and His Son through the help of the Holy Spirit.
But there is a cost involved. If we are really honest with ourselves, we know it's almost easier to ignore the needs and pain of others partly because of what is involved in reaching out -- using up so much of our physical, emotional and sometimes financial resources. But when you are intentional and purposeful in your desire and efforts to reach out to someone in need, you end up showing them who Jesus is by your actions. Sometimes we are the only Jesus these people will ever see!
Matthew 25:34-36 tells a story of a King who shares the following: "When the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
His followers questioned him by saying, in verses 38-39, "When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" The King replies in verse 40, by saying, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Whenever we reach out to others in Jesus' name and for His sake, we are doing it for Him, and the person you are helping is blessed in the process!
I think of a sweet woman from my church who has those kind of eyes. She sees a need and reaches out, in prayer, through a touch or hug or just by her actions. She has prayed for me in church during a worship service. She's hugged me when she has seen me in need or in tears when I've been struggling over something. She is being Jesus to me at that moment. She recently saw my Facebook post of mine where my electricity had been out for a while after a storm. She posted a note on my page and offered to let me and my family use her hot shower and serve us a nice breakfast. What an incredible woman!! This past Sunday, she saw a new family visiting the church with a very young child. She brought over some crayons and a coloring book and handed it to the parents so the little boy could have something to keep him busy during the service. She is a great example to me of how I want to be, and I pray for her that the Lord will continue to use her!
Thank you Jesus for bringing people into my life who show me Your love. There are several whom you have recently used to bless me and shower me with Your kindness. I see You in their eyes and I am deeply humbled. I ask that you enrich them with more blessings so they in turn can continue to be used of You to bless others. I also ask that you let me see others as You do - and that I will be diligent to reach out and love them as You would have me. Let me have My Father's Eyes. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment