Having Eyes That See

Having Eyes That See

by David Brenneman 

"Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:36-38.

We often see people from our own weak understanding. We view them not as God sees them. We take our mind's interpretation of feelings, emotions and situations and arrive at a personal judgment concerning them. We decide who is of worth and who is not. We literally don't see that we play God in determining the worth of a life He created. This is what Jesus meant by do not judge. We are indeed to make a judgment call on further investment into others. As in what He said of not casting your pearls before swine. Some ground is too hard to dig into to plant seeds for some. These we take to God in prayer to break up the heart so that they too might find the seed of salvation planted in them. We aren't to decide who is worthy of the free gift of salvation and who is not. 

His harvest. We are to be workers in His fields. Workers in a field need to know something about plants and weeds. About rocks and trees. About moving earth to place seeds. About healthy fertilizer and appropriate watering.  

We need Godly perspective on dealing with people. Godly perspective on the signs of the times. Godly perspective on life. 

We of all people are the most easily deceived by our own sin nature. We aren't used to checking ourselves. We aren't used to the kind of personal examination that Paul spoke of. We require training in righteousness because it's not something that's natural to us. 

We need to be obedient students of the cross of Jesus Christ. Students must put aside their personal views in favor of what they are being taught. The ideal Teacher being the Holy Spirit that we have, we must be the attentive ideal student, the ideal disciple. 

On several occasions we read of Jesus not trusting those around Him because He knew what was in the hearts of mankind.  

We are told what comes out of the heart of man. Most of it isn't good because of our sin nature.  

When we take the Bible's explanation of the condition of the hearts of mankind as reality then we must follow through with what Jesus said to do in dealing with such things. Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus. It's hard!  

Realizing that within each of us it is possible to display the worst attributes of humanity is humbling. 

Gives you a different way to look at "Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6) doesn't it?

Having eyes that see what you should from God's perspective, from God's truth should be the desire of your heart. We honestly cannot trust ourselves to get life right on our own understanding. 

We are to walk as children of the light. The Light being in and of Christ in us. Treating people as Jesus Christ would. Some He obviously trusted that the Father chose and many whom He did not. 

Many He lifted up many He came down on. Yet He did love them all. 

Keeping selfish ambition out of the heart is difficult. Keeping a Godly perspective is something to learn. 

Jesus still needs workers in His fields. No Christian should ever consider themselves excused from the life in Christ that the Spirit desires for them.  

The plan and purpose of God for each and every single Believer should take precedence about whatever personal perspectives we have. Just as the workers in His fields are there to do what He has them there for.

If getting what we want is more important than what God wants for us then it's is us who has the perspective problem. 

It means we aren't seeing with the spiritual eyes we have been given, in all likelihood it also means that even if we are then we aren't accepting what it is that God intends for each of us. 

Do you ever pray for your spiritual eyes? Do you ever pray to have His understanding to overshadow your own? Are you at all deciding who is or is not worthy of the same gift of salvation that you received? 

Paul Overstreet had a song in 1987 called "Richest Man on Earth".

I've heard tell of millionaires

And billionaires and such

Who gathered all their treasures

And still did not have enough

If money could buy peace of mind

I guess they'd have it all

But all the money in the world

Wouldn't hold you when you fall

We've got a roof over our head

And the kids have all been fed

And the women I love most

Lies close beside me in our bed

Lord, give me the eyes to see

Exactly what it's worth

And I will be the richest man on earth

Lord, when I wish I had the things

That you gave someone else

I pray that you'll forgive me

For just thinkin' of myself

I haven't been as thankful

As I know I ought to be

I should be more then satisfied

With all you've given me

One thing is for certain

It don't matter when you die

If you had a million

Or if you just got by

Yes, I will be the richest man on earth

Do we have Godly perspectives? In most cases we don't. Our selfish desires often drown out what we are in class to be taught in righteousness.  

David was known as a man after God's own heart. Would you be?  

Do you desire that? Moses was known as a friend of God. Would you be?

Jesus, after the resurrection, while walking with a few Disciples, opened up their minds to understand the Scriptures and all that was there about Himself. Do you pray for this for you?  

Having eyes that see requires a heart and mind that wants to understand what is being seen. 

Setting our minds on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world. 

Get praying...you know what to ask for.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.