When we look at people, what do we see? Do we make quick judgments based on what our eyes tell us? Are we able to see beneath to the actual cries of their hearts?
I was reading Matthew this morning and was struck by two accounts, right in a row where Jesus sees something different in a person than everyone else does.
"Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." Matt 9:2 (NIV)
His friends saw a man, a paralyzed man, needing a physical healing. Jesus saw a man who was heartbroken over his sins in need of forgiveness. Only after the teachers of the law question Jesus' authority to give the man what he truly needed, did Jesus heal him.
Next there is the calling of Matthew, a tax collector. A man who was wealthy, yet despised by all because he made his money as a traitor to his country and by exploiting the people he had power over.
"As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
"While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Matt 9:9-11 (NIV)
This same Matthew would be used by the Holy Spirit to write the book that bears his name.
When we walk into a situation it is so easy to make a snap judgement about who a person is, or what they truly need. We are good at that.
"The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Sam 16:7
Today, let us pray to have the eyes of Jesus to see the people we encounter today with His eyes.
