What Do You See?

What you see defines who you are.
Max Lucado

"Your eyes are the windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dark cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have.”
Matthew 6:22-23

It has been said that if you look long and hard enough, you can always find something to complain about. We make a choice as to whether we complain about the one fruit we can’t have or appreciate all that we can have. During those times when we don’t understand or when we are afraid, God's Word encourages us to look at what is unseen and to see as God wants us to see because in faith we cling to the hope that God is at work even when we see no color. In other words, things are not always as they appear.

These thoughts, coming from a devotional by Max Lucado, reminded me of a story about Elisha. As the story goes, the king of Aram was at war against the king of Israel and was not succeeding because Elisha ( a man of God) was giving the king of Israel a heads up about the plans or where-abouts of the Aramean army, their enemy. The Aramean king began to think that someone in his army was being disloyal, so when he questioned his officers they told him about Elisha. Upon finding out where he was staying the king of Aram sent his army by night to surround that city. When Elisha’s servant got up in the morning and saw the Aramean army of horses and chariots, he called out, “Oh my lord, what shall we do?” Elisha answered, “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see. “ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:8-17)

It's a New Year. A new page. Am I looking at a drab winter picture or do I see the sun sparkling on the snow? Will I complain about the line ups, or use the time to chat with someone and smile at the cashier? My prayer is that I will learn to allow God to open my eyes to see beyond a given situation and catch a glimpse of what He is doing. May I look for the color.

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