On Saturday I went to see the movie “Same Kind of Different As Me”, which I highly recommend. There’s a quote from the movie that I’ve been thinking about for a few days: “You was the onlyest person that looked past my skin and past my meanness and saw that there was somebody on the inside worth savin…We all has more in common than we think. You stood up with courage and faced me when I was dangerous, and it changed my life. You loved me for who I was on the inside, the person God meant for me to be, the one that had just gotten lost for a while on some ugly roads in life.” –Denver Moore

I’ve been thinking about how I really see others, and I know the answer — through my own eyes and based on my own experience. But I want to see beyond what my human eyes see, and my human ears hear. As the Lord created us and everything we are able to see (and things we can’t see), I know He can give me the eyes to see the beauty in others even when it is difficult to see. “Ears to hear and eyes to see—both are gifts from the Lord.” (Prov. 20:12)  I want to see others like Jesus does. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)

The Lord did not save us only for our own benefit, but in order that we may serve Christ and build up His church. “But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” (Eph. 2:4-10)

Jesus loved us enough to die on the cross for our sins, so that His blood covers our sin. I want to love like Jesus and have my love for others “cover a multitude of sins”. He has created me anew in Christ Jesus to do the good things He planned for me long ago. I know that if I ask for Him to soften my heart and give me the eyes to see others as He does, it will be done. Jesus told us, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7)

Lord, please let me see others through your eyes, and know that you love each and every one the same. Let me look past any ugliness I see, and see them with the love you have for them. Thank you for loving me even with all the ugliness I have. Let me see others the way I know you see me.

The image used on this post with the quote was posted by a friend of mine the other day, and it just seems to put an exclamation point on my thoughts the last few days.