Through Your Eyes

Viewing the world around us and those of it through the eyes of our Lord and Savior is a tall order. Our vision is often blurred, obstructed or distorted in some manner. It is in no way easy to have a viewpoint of love and compassion consistent with our Savior’s, but oh how necessary it is to put on those lenses by the Spirit of God and through His Word.

Christ came into this world (we being a part of it) out of extreme love, and then devoted himself to the task of securing every persons salvation through full obedience unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8)! There truly is no greater love than that a person lay down ones life (John 15:13a). Christ became the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins, and not for ours only, but for that of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

Before going to the place of the skull to die for mankind, He lived and ministered among those of this world. Consider Christ’s love for his friend Lazarus of Bethany, and yet, a greater love was expressed for the rich young ruler in the midst of his rejection of the Messiah (John 11:3, 36; Mark 10:21). In Matthew 9:36, the Lord was moved with compassion toward the multitudes of people as He took into account their lost condition.

So it is ours to express lovingkindness - forgiving one others, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32). Christ, even in His death did not demonstrate anger, contempt, bitterness, malice or any such reaction, but rather acted in compassion by declaring, “Father forgive them . . .” (Luke 23:34).