Seeing Beyond: Recognizing the Divine in Others

Devotional

Day 1: Seeing with the Heart and Spirit

Seeing others truly involves recognizing their potential and divine image, beyond physical appearances or superficial judgments. This perspective can transform our interactions and relationships. The ability to see with the heart and spirit is a skill that can be cultivated by anyone, even if it doesn't come naturally. By looking beyond the surface, we can appreciate the inherent dignity and worth of every individual. This practice challenges us to move past our initial judgments and to engage with others on a deeper level, recognizing the divine image within them. [00:25]

"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." (John 7:24, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone you encounter regularly. How can you practice seeing them with your heart and spirit today, recognizing their potential and divine image?

Day 2: The Awe of Immortal Souls

C.S. Lewis's "The Weight of Glory" reminds us that we are surrounded by potential gods and goddesses, and our interactions should reflect the awe and respect due to immortal souls. Every person we meet is an immortal soul, destined for either eternal splendor or horror. This understanding should transform how we engage with others, infusing our relationships with awe and respect. By acknowledging the eternal significance of each person, we can approach our interactions with a sense of reverence and humility. [03:27]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a recent interaction with someone. How might your perspective change if you viewed them as an immortal soul with eternal significance?

Day 3: Genuine and Costly Love

Genuine love is costly and involves deep feeling for the sins of others, loving them despite their flaws, and seeing them as God does. This love goes beyond mere tolerance or indulgence. It requires a willingness to engage with others on a deeper level, to feel their pain, and to love them through their imperfections. This kind of love is transformative, both for the giver and the receiver, and it reflects the love that God has for each of us. [05:11]

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8, ESV)

Reflection: Identify someone in your life who is difficult to love. What is one specific way you can show them genuine and costly love today?

Day 4: The Impact of Being Seen

The story of Winston Churchill and his nanny, Mrs. Everest, illustrates the profound impact of seeing and nurturing potential in others, even when it is not immediately apparent. By recognizing and nurturing the potential in others, we can have a lasting impact on their lives. This requires us to look beyond the surface and to see the greatness that lies within each person. By doing so, we can help others to realize their potential and to become the people they were meant to be. [09:06]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." (Hebrews 10:24, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who has potential that is not immediately apparent. How can you encourage and nurture that potential today?

Day 5: Reflecting on Personal Growth

Reflecting on our own journey, we must consider what we are becoming and what influences are leading us towards or away from love, joy, and truth. This reflection requires honesty and a willingness to examine our own hearts and motivations. By doing so, we can identify areas where we need to grow and change, and we can seek God's guidance in becoming the people He created us to be. [11:00]

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)

Reflection: Take a moment to reflect on your own journey. What is one area of your life where you need to grow towards love, joy, and truth? What steps can you take today to move in that direction?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, I invite you to practice the art of seeing, not just with your eyes but with your heart and spirit. The ability to truly see another human being goes beyond physical appearances or superficial judgments. It involves recognizing the potential and the divine image within each person. This is a skill that some, like scouts or teachers, naturally possess, but it is one we can all cultivate.

Consider the story of John Merrick, the Elephant Man, whose physical deformities masked his noble spirit. Or the 1932 film "Freaks," which challenges us to see beyond physical appearances to the inherent dignity and worth of every individual. When we look at others, we often see only their origins or their current state, influenced by a worldview informed by science and evolution. However, as C.S. Lewis eloquently writes in "The Weight of Glory," we are surrounded by potential gods and goddesses, beings of immense potential and destiny.

Lewis reminds us that there are no ordinary people. Every interaction we have is with an immortal soul, destined for either eternal splendor or horror. This perspective should transform how we engage with others, infusing our relationships with awe and respect. Our love must be genuine and costly, not mere tolerance or indulgence. Next to the sacrament, our neighbor is the holiest object presented to our senses.

As you go about your day, ask yourself, "What do I see in others?" Like George MacDonald's character Kirti, who could sense the true nature of a person by touch, we must strive to see beyond the surface. Consider the story of Winston Churchill, whose life was profoundly influenced by his nanny, Mrs. Everest, who saw greatness in him when others did not. Her vision and love played a crucial role in shaping the man who would later stand against tyranny.

Today, take a moment to reflect on the people in your life. Identify a quality in a friend that you can encourage. Challenge yourself to find something good in someone who is difficult for you. Finally, look inward and consider what you are becoming. Are you moving towards love and joy, or away from them? May God grant us the eyes to see ourselves and others as He does, with honesty and love.

Key Takeaways

1. Seeing others truly involves recognizing their potential and divine image, beyond physical appearances or superficial judgments. This perspective can transform our interactions and relationships. [00:25]
2. C.S. Lewis's "The Weight of Glory" reminds us that we are surrounded by potential gods and goddesses, and our interactions should reflect the awe and respect due to immortal souls. [03:27]
3. Genuine love is costly and involves deep feeling for the sins of others, loving them despite their flaws, and seeing them as God does. This love goes beyond mere tolerance or indulgence. [05:11]
4. The story of Winston Churchill and his nanny, Mrs. Everest, illustrates the profound impact of seeing and nurturing potential in others, even when it is not immediately apparent. [09:06]
5. Reflecting on our own journey, we must consider what we are becoming and what influences are leading us towards or away from love, joy, and truth. [11:00]
** [11:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:25] - The Art of Seeing
[00:54] - Stories of True Vision
[01:24] - Beyond Physical Appearances
[02:05] - Origins and Potential
[03:00] - C.S. Lewis on Human Destiny
[03:27] - The Weight of Glory
[04:10] - Immortal Souls
[05:11] - Genuine and Costly Love
[06:07] - Seeing with Spiritual Eyes
[07:09] - Valuing What We See
[08:05] - The Gift of Parental Vision
[09:06] - The Impact of Being Seen
[10:02] - Reflecting on Relationships
[11:00] - Personal Reflection and Growth
[11:50] - Closing Thoughts

Sermon Clips

"i want you to learn how to become an excellent seer and i want to work on that together with you and in particular i want to work on what do i see when i look at another human being we will sometimes ask a question like what does she see in him or what does he see in her like what is it that is apparent to that person when they gaze at somebody else" [00:00:22]

"there'll be certain folks scouts in athletics or teachers who are particularly gifted at being able to see what lies within another person what could they potentially become there will be stories very moving to us elephant man if you've ever seen that movie story of john merrick whose physical deformities masked for many many people the nobility of soul the greatness of spirit that he carried that could bless anybody if they only had the eyes to see" [00:00:50]

"when i look at another person what do i see sometimes i might just see where they came from and in our day often the macro world view that people carry with them is vaguely informed by science and evolution and they might think that's all there is is origins there are certain writers who will make a lot about the fact that human beings have uh i was reading this week 98.8 percent dna in common with chimps" [00:02:02]

"it is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses to remember that the dullest and most unarresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which if you saw it now you would be strongly tempted to worship else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet if at all only in a nightmare all day long we are in some degree helping each other to one or other of these destinations" [00:03:27]

"there are no ordinary people you have never talked to a mere mortal nations cultures arts civilizations these are mortal and their life is to ours as the life of a net but it is immortals whom we joke with work with marry snub and exploit immortal horrors or everlasting splendors this does not mean we're to be perpetually solemn we must play but our merriment must be of that kind and it is in fact the merriest kind" [00:04:18]

"and our charity must be a real and costly love with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment next to the blessed sacrament itself next to the body that was broken and the blood that was shed your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses if he is your christian neighbor he is holy in almost the same way" [00:05:16]

"george mcdonald the writer had a character in one of his books named kirti the princess and kirti and kirti is given a supernatural gift where when he touches someone when he shakes their hand takes them by the hand he is able to feel by their hand what they are becoming and sometimes there will be a creature that looks quite loathsome but when he touches their hand he realized this person is becoming a magnificent prince or princess" [00:06:13]

"what do i see when i look in the eyes of people how often do i do damage because i just think not very important not very attractive or maybe somebody who could be useful to me it's interesting when we look at a baby to the mother and father of that little child is given the gift of seeing something precious um somebody said to winston churchill one time uh i have a baby and it looks just like you and his response was madam all babies look like me" [00:07:43]

"what churchill had was a a nurse a nanny mrs everest she was called he called her womb it was the closest he could get to seeing woman and she was the fireside before whom he was comforted in whose presence he cried as tears she saw something in him and loved him when he died 70 years after she did her picture was at the table by his bedside and it makes you wonder because of the role that churchill played in galvanizing england to stand up to hitler and nazi germany" [00:09:02]

"take a moment right now think of a good friend of yours somebody that you care about somebody that brings joy to you and think of one quality that you see in them that is a good thing that you can call out and encourage now a little tougher take a moment and think of an extra grace required person in your life someone that's difficult for you someone that you're angry at maybe perceive as an enemy what do you see in them what does god see in them" [00:10:02]

"i look at me you look at you i'm on my way to becoming this is just the truth um either a creature of character that will be like jesus or the kind of creature that we meet now if at all only in a nightmare what could lead me in those two directions what is it that could lead me today on a path to love and to joy and to being honest and truthful or what could lead me away from god into small-mindedness and pettiness and self and ego" [00:10:56]

"god give me eyes to see today to see myself as you do honestly and to see jesus hidden in my neighbor what are you going to see today i hope it's really really good have a great day" [00:11:32]

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