Lens

Have you ever been so devoted to your point of you, your way of living, or what you thought to be true that you cannot see any other way?

Or, have you ever picked up a Bible or book, began reading, and felt like you were reading another language?

What happened when you finally saw another way? How did you feel? Freedom? Relief? Fear? Frustration?

There is a guy in the Bible named Paul. He was once known as Saul; a well-educated man who condemned Christians. He not only condemned them but murdered them.

Until, he met God.

Paul while highly educated, was spiritually blind. He could not see the goodness of God. So, God physically blinded Paul for a moment. (You can find his story here Paul’s Journey https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+9%3A1-19&version=NIV )

Paul could not see through someone else’s lens. He was blind to the other side. Because of this, he lived a life of condemning others for their lifestyle and beliefs. It wasn’t until God physically blinded him that he began to really see.

We are no different from Paul. We have our blinders on only seeing through our lens subconsciously condemning those who don’t live, work, or believe like us.

What lens do you look through?

When we stay stuck looking only through our lens, we become part of the problem. When we refuse or exclude ourselves from seeing through someone else’s lens, we shift from grace to condemnation. We lose the ability to love well when we only see through our own lens.

When we refuse or exclude ourselves from seeing through someone else’s lens, we shift from grace to condemnation

What lens are you looking through? When hard issues come your way, are you more apt to see from the other side or stay stuck in your corner?

When we enable ourselves to look through someone else’s lens, we open the door to opportunity: opportunity to show others the love and grace we know and experience every day.

Saul was blind. He only allowed himself to see through his own lens. Because of this, he spent part of his life murdering people for their beliefs. The moment he became Paul was the moment not only his life, but so many lives changed. Paul is one of the greatest authors and missionaries of the New Testament. Countless lives are changed for eternity all because he chose to look through someone else’s lens.

Don’t be afraid to see from another side. It isn’t something to fear. It doesn’t mean they are going to convert you or take over in all their “badness”. Allowing yourself to see from someone else’s lens opens the door to eternity. I want to be a part of that. Don’t you?

Take the scales off your eyes.

Expand your lens.

Open the door to hope.

Love & Blessings,

Meg