Seeing God in others

This morning I reminded God that it has been like two weeks since I have written a blog...

I'm sure some of it has to do with having had two granddaughters here last week, ages 1 and 3.

It was all the joy, fun, and work that I remember from my own kids...

TIMES 100 since I am way, way past my early 20's!

I remember smugly saying to my son when they first arrived, "When they nap I will clean, and cook, and do laundry and write!" 

I was delusional.

What I did do was sleep on the couch...baby monitor next to me...

Probably drool coming out of my mouth...who knows.

Let's say I now have the GREATEST RESPECT for all those who are raising young children!

But anyway, back to the blogging dilemma.

I know it's not like people are waiting with bated breath for a new blog to appear...

The phone is not ringing off the hook, nor is my inbox full of inquiries as to where am I!

But in a way, blogging is my sharing with you what God is teaching me.

Either He hasn't been teaching me, or I have been too tired to hear.

Either way, I have had nothing to share.

Until this morning...

When a friend's early morning message reminded me of something I had once told her...

And my devotional reading for the day unearthed the same quote...

And the Holy Spirit gently reminded me that I had prayed this same phrase over and over again last week...and the week before...and the one before that...

I need to see God in others.

Because unless I do...

I cannot love them.

I don't know about you, but I have met some pretty unlovable people.

People I would rather avoid than be with.

People who are pricklier than porcupines.

And about as much fun to be with as August mosquitoes.

Needy, broken, "haven't-arrived-yet" kind of people.

People just like me.

Every moment of every day, God looks past the stupid and hurtful and sinful things I do and say...

And in His infinite, unfailing Love...

Sees Christ in me, my Hope...

Even when no one else does.

And I love Him for it!

Dr. Paul Brand, who gave his life to working with the lepers in India, once spoke about an ancient Hindu greeting, hands folded under the chin and a respectful bow, as meaning...

"I worship the God I see in you."

He suggested we not reject it as a Hindu sign, but embrace it as a Christian sign...

A gateway to loving.

I think he's on to something!

We all know that cultivating the ability to see God in others is not easy.

Sometimes we have to look deeply...very deeply...

Past the exterior...

Giving up superficial judgments...

And recognizing that every life has a story.

Which helps explain why those who irritate us do the things they do and say the things they say.

Aren't you so deliriously thankful that God looks not at the outward appearance, but at the heart?

And then, with great empathy and compassion, comes to us offering grace, and healing, and forgiveness?

And love. Definitely Love.

"When we engage in this deeper way of encountering people, we will be compelled to handle their lives with holiness, to understand, to reach out, to give or respond in some way to them. 
And when we do, we make the God in our own lives more visible to them. 
They glimpse His Presence in our manner, whether they can name it or not." Sue Monk Kidd

And that's our cue, dear friend...

To see others through His eyes.

And then, motivated by what we see...

Love them.

For that is how they will see Christ in us...

Our Hope and Glory.

And come to know...

That He can be theirs, too.

Praise God.