“Do you see what I see?”
There she was, walking on the outside of the local restaurant that I was sitting in. She had her backpack on with what seemed like all of her earthly possessions inside. With worn, black clothes, a faded brown shirt underneath and a weary look on her face.
It wasn’t her clothes that caught my attention or even the fact that she appeared homeless as she slowly walked the streets of L.A. that broke my heart. It was the look in her eyes that said it all.
She was alone.
Broken.
Wandering.
It doesn’t take much to realize that you and I are living in a world that is quickly and sadly becoming a really cold place. A quick look at social media or your tv will tell you that things like racism, sexism and prejudice seem like they are at an all time high with stories of such things being spread in the media.
The statistics on the sickening & worldwide problem of human trafficking/slavery are terrifying! Especially when you learn that a big part of that activity comes from large and suburban cities in the U.S.
Even in myself, as a Christian man who’s called to love others, I have been wrestling with the question that I’ll ask you as well.
“How do you see people?”
Like, how do you really see them?
As items to be used for your own needs? A means to an end? Do you consider the nice and kind people as good and the rude and criminal as bad people? Or just breathing objects that you pass by each day on your way to handle your business?
The reality is that we all have people that we love and cherish. And have others that seem to rub us the wrong way, annoy us and frankly can’t stand at times. Not sure who those people are? Sit in traffic for more than thirty minutes and you’ll find out pretty quickly!
But lately I’ve had this thought. The hardness of my heart towards certain people that I may come in contact with has a cure! A cure that would cause things like love, compassion, kindness, empathy and mercy to grow in my heart towards even the worst of humanity.
Instead of seeing people through my own lens, I should see them through this one instead.
”They are made in the image of God.”
Each person.
The black people, the white people.
The tall and short people.
The skinny and not so skinny people.
Your boss.
The man in prison.
The single mom of three.
The homeless man on the corner.
The kids playing in the park.
Mother Teresa.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Hitler.
Stalin.
Former and current presidents.
Democrats & Republicans.
The scared girl parked in front of the abortion clinic.
All of them were made in the beautiful & priceless image of God.
“Well, some people have done such evil things!”
That’s true! And loving people doesn’t excuse wrong behavior. But I think there would be a lot less hatred and a lot more love on our planet if we viewed people as having the same heavenly design to them as we have.
That regardless of their past or current mistakes or their current economic state. Or whether they are an immigrant currently at the border or the person sitting next to us in Starbucks, there is an Almighty God who cares deeply for them.
So I can’t treat people as less than or allow prejudice or even hatred in my heart towards others when I’m seeing them as valuable and loved by Someone who’s way greater than I am. By doing this and with the help of our Creator, you and I can change the world. One person at a time.
Until next time, peace!
