Everyone looks at people through a lens. What lens do you look at others through?
Last week, I took some time to sit in the foyer at my church and just watch the different vehicles drive down Center Square Road.
Last week, I took some time to sit in the foyer at my church and just watch the different vehicles drive down Center Square Road.
If you haven't been to Living Hope Worship Center you wouldn't know this, but for those who have been to the church, in the foyer here on the right hand side is a massive window which lets in an incredible amount of light into the entry of the building. It's huge and is made up of nine different panels, making up the shape of a large cross. I walk past this window multiple times each day, but very rarely do I just sit and look at the window itself (to be completely honest, who does just sit there and look at a window?).
This specific morning was different though. I wasn't feeling the greatest and just plopped down in one of the chairs and looked out the window. As I sat and stared, I saw the routines of many. I watched those rushing to head to work. I watched others who were already in their work trucks, heading to the next destination. I watched parents taking their children to school, as well as a few runners taking advantage of the crisp morning air. Everyone is on their way to something; everyone is traveling and has their destination in mind. I'm watching all of these people and I notice that the lens that I am looking at these people through at this point in time is through "the cross." I'm watching these people through this enormous glass cross in our foyer. In reality, that's a nice thought and it could just end there, but for me it didn't. I'm watching people through a glass cross, but then I began to think deeper about the other lenses that I look at people through.
The lenses that we look at people through are based on the experiences that we've had in our lives. The way that we grew up, the way that we were raised, the people that we surround ourselves with, and the choices we've made, these are all experiences that have shaped the way that we look at others. These are all experiences that shape the lenses that we look at others through. We all are shaped by the environment that we find ourselves in and that's incredibly important for us to recognize that.
Why is that so important? Well, if we don't recognize how much our lens affects others, we may have no clue on a great many things: just to name a few, it affects the way in which we treat others, the way in which we talk to others, the way in which we act publicly or privately, the way in which we perform on the job, and the way in which we open up to others in the difficult points in our lives.
I thought about that long and hard and have continued to think about the lenses that I have in my life. How do I look at people? How do I treat people? Based on the experiences in my life, do I treat certain people better and look down on others? These are honest questions and it all comes back to the cross. When I was looking outside in the foyer that day, I was looking through the cross. As someone who is a Christian, the way in which I should look at others should always be like Jesus did. How did Jesus look at people?
Jesus looked at people with compassion and love (Matthew 14:14, Matthew 20:34). Scripture shows numerous examples of this; Jesus healing a man born blind (Mark 8:22-25), redeeming the life of a woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-11), and so many more. The lens that He looked at people through was always concerned and willing to get right down into the dirt. That's not always my lens, but through looking at the life that He lived, it most certainly was His.
What is my lens? Where should my lens be? How far off am I from where I should be? These are questions that we should ask ourselves regularly.
My lens needs to move closer and closer each day to be more like the view Christ had for others. It needs to be a look at people through the cross and to make it a point each and every day to look and treat others with the respect and dignity that they deserve. My lens needs to shift from negatives that may have molded my situation, to the experience with Christ that defines who I am.
It's not always easy, but it most certainly is worth it.
Thanks for reading my thoughts this week! If you are encouraged by this post or want to share your thoughts on the lenses that we look at others through, please feel free to comment below here or to write to me on Twitter: @solidschultz. Check back later this week for some pictures and an update about our missions trip that our church went on last week to Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic! God bless you and have a great week!
The lenses that we look at people through are based on the experiences that we've had in our lives. The way that we grew up, the way that we were raised, the people that we surround ourselves with, and the choices we've made, these are all experiences that have shaped the way that we look at others. These are all experiences that shape the lenses that we look at others through. We all are shaped by the environment that we find ourselves in and that's incredibly important for us to recognize that.
Why is that so important? Well, if we don't recognize how much our lens affects others, we may have no clue on a great many things: just to name a few, it affects the way in which we treat others, the way in which we talk to others, the way in which we act publicly or privately, the way in which we perform on the job, and the way in which we open up to others in the difficult points in our lives.
I thought about that long and hard and have continued to think about the lenses that I have in my life. How do I look at people? How do I treat people? Based on the experiences in my life, do I treat certain people better and look down on others? These are honest questions and it all comes back to the cross. When I was looking outside in the foyer that day, I was looking through the cross. As someone who is a Christian, the way in which I should look at others should always be like Jesus did. How did Jesus look at people?
Jesus looked at people with compassion and love (Matthew 14:14, Matthew 20:34). Scripture shows numerous examples of this; Jesus healing a man born blind (Mark 8:22-25), redeeming the life of a woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-11), and so many more. The lens that He looked at people through was always concerned and willing to get right down into the dirt. That's not always my lens, but through looking at the life that He lived, it most certainly was His.
What is my lens? Where should my lens be? How far off am I from where I should be? These are questions that we should ask ourselves regularly.
My lens needs to move closer and closer each day to be more like the view Christ had for others. It needs to be a look at people through the cross and to make it a point each and every day to look and treat others with the respect and dignity that they deserve. My lens needs to shift from negatives that may have molded my situation, to the experience with Christ that defines who I am.
It's not always easy, but it most certainly is worth it.
Thanks for reading my thoughts this week! If you are encouraged by this post or want to share your thoughts on the lenses that we look at others through, please feel free to comment below here or to write to me on Twitter: @solidschultz. Check back later this week for some pictures and an update about our missions trip that our church went on last week to Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic! God bless you and have a great week!
Great thoughts Jeff.....it is also important to think about the lenses that others view me through as well...to better understand what they are going through and how I may be seen by them.....
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