WHAT DO YOU SEE?
02nd Mar 2022
The Church at Laodicea was described in Revelation 3 as being “lukewarm” and they were told what they should do to do to remedy this situation. One of the instructions was to “put salve on your eyes, so that you can see.”
What were they seeing? As I pondered this I began to think of the ways we see those around us. We can look with criticism, judgement, jealousy or resentment. Was this their problem? Did they not need to learn to look with grace, love, faith and forgiveness?
A friend of mine had been offended by a colleague, was working out how he could get back at him, and was discussing this when his boss replied, “Harry, we only do the gracious thing.” This changed his whole attitude and he was able to speak with grace and love.
One of our sons was struggling at school and receiving all sorts of negative reports from his teachers, which was discouraging for both him and his parents. So it was a great surprise that when at his baptism and all sorts of prophetic words were spoken that indicated quite the opposite. These words have been fulfilled.
In Hebrews 11 we have a list of the heroes of faith and in says in verse 13, “All these people were living by faith when they died.” As we look at others we can see their faults, their limitations or we can look with faith, and seek to encourage those who are downcast, and point in faith towards God’s purposes for their lives.
A friend of ours in Italy was very attracted to a young man who at that time was not even a believer. Her father happened to be visiting and was in conversation with his daughter as this man approached. He was not aware of the attraction, but as the man walked towards them he turned to his daughter and said, “That young man is going to be a pastor.” She was amazed, the word of faith came true, and they eventually married and he became a pastor and had a very anointed ministry.
So the challenge is what are your eyes seeing as you look around? Are you reacting to fellow believers and speaking out judgement and criticism, or are you looking with the eyes of faith and seeing potential and redemption?
by Charles Sibthorpe
