What Do You See?

Genesis 18 opens with the Lord appearing to Abraham, and then three men stand at his tent. Abraham looks at three strangers and says, My Lord. Genesis names the visitors as strangers, yet the text also says the Lord appeared. Abraham holds both together because Genesis 1 and 2 have already trained his eyes. Genesis declares that every human being bears God’s image and lives by God’s breath, so Abraham sees God first in the faces of those he does not know. He runs, he bows, he serves, not because the men earn it or agree with him, but because he recognizes the image and presence of God before he attends to difference.

Scripture then flips the usual questions. The church often asks, Who is the one another, who deserves compassion, who really counts as a neighbor. Scripture answers with a different question, What do you see. If the most important thing seen is behavior, ideology, threat, or sin, love will shrink to the size of agreement. But if the most important thing seen is the image and breath of God, love becomes possible even when concerns remain. Scripture does not ask anyone to pretend differences are not real. It simply refuses to let difference be the most important thing that is seen.

Abraham embodies that order. He does not interrogate morals, platforms, or lifestyle. He acts on what Genesis has already settled, that this person before him is God’s image-bearer animated by God’s Spirit. If someone saw God standing in front of them today, they would run, bow, and serve. If that is fitting for God, it is fitting for those who bear God’s likeness. Jesus takes the same path. He kneels to wash the feet of deniers, betrayers, and sinners, then commands, Love one another as I have loved you. Love is not the same thing as approval. A parent loves a child without endorsing everything the child does. If the church grants its children love they do not earn, God’s children should get no less.

Seeing comes first. You cannot love what you refuse to see. You cannot love God while despising God’s image in others. Abraham sees God before he sees difference, and his world grows. Strangers become neighbors. Hospitality makes room for blessing. Ordinary time becomes encounter. If the church sees image before issue, sight will set the pace for action, because what you see determines how you act. The better question, then, is not Who must be loved, but Where is God waiting to be found. The answer stands right in front of the eyes.

Key Takeaways

• 1. See God before you see difference [37:17] Seeing the image and breath of God first does not erase real differences, it simply ranks them rightly. When God’s likeness becomes the primary lens, a stranger looks like a neighbor in waiting. That sight expands the imagination for hospitality, patience, and blessing. Vision orders love. [37:17]
• 2. What you see determines how you act [38:43] Perception drives practice. If someone is seen as an enemy, defensiveness follows, and if seen as a problem, fixing replaces presence. But when God’s image is seen, service becomes fitting and joy becomes possible. Sight disciples the hands and the tongue. [38:43]
• 3. Love does not equal approval [34:28] Christian love can be honest without being cold, and principled without being punitive. The church can object to real harm and still refuse to withhold goodwill, presence, and practical care. Love moves toward the other because God has moved toward the world in Christ. Approval is optional, neighbor love is not. [34:28]
• 4. Every person bears God’s image and breath [27:29] Genesis grounds dignity not in merit, tribe, or ideology but in creation itself. The imago Dei does not fluctuate with behavior, mood, or season. To recognize the Spirit’s breath in another human is to acknowledge God’s prior claim on them. That claim demands reverence in speech and deed. [27:29]
• 5. Start with Scripture’s question, What do you see [30:15] The habit of demanding definitions of neighbor keeps love stuck at the gate. Scripture tutors the church to begin with sight rather than sorting, recognition rather than labeling. Once God’s image is truly seen, the next step often becomes obvious. Seeing is the doorway to faithful action. [30:15]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [24:55] - Three strangers, one Lord
• [25:18] - Abraham looks up
• [25:34] - My Lord to three men
• [26:43] - Image and breath in Genesis
• [27:29] - Every person bears God’s image
• [28:51] - The probing question, What do you see
• [30:15] - Scripture flips the question
• [31:12] - Seeing other things honestly
• [32:07] - The most important thing you see
• [33:16] - If you saw God today
• [33:59] - Love as Jesus has loved
• [34:49] - If my kids get love
• [35:54] - You cannot love what you refuse to see
• [37:29] - Strangers become neighbors
• [38:43] - Perception shapes action
• [39:09] - Choosing to see God
• [39:42] - Where is God waiting to be found

1. In Genesis 18:1-5, what specific actions did Abraham take when he saw the three strangers, and what does this reveal about his priorities?
2. How does Genesis 1:26-27 establish the foundation for Abraham’s response to the strangers in Genesis 18? [27:29]
3. According to the sermon, what does Jesus’ act of washing His disciples’ feet (John 13:14-15) teach about loving others who may not “deserve” it? [33:59]
4. What two key truths about human identity does the sermon connect to Genesis 1-2? [26:43]

1. Why might Abraham’s immediate response of hospitality (running, bowing, serving) seem counterintuitive in a culture that often prioritizes caution toward strangers?
2. The sermon argues that “what you see determines how you act.” How does this principle explain the difference between viewing someone as an “image-bearer” versus a “problem” or “enemy”? [38:43]
3. How does Jesus’ command to “love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34) challenge common assumptions that love requires agreement or approval? [34:28]
4. Why is the question “What do you see?” more transformative for relationships than asking “Who deserves my love?” [30:15]

1. Think of a recent interaction where differences (beliefs, behaviors, or background) made it hard to connect with someone. How might seeing them as an image-bearer first have changed your response?
2. What practical step could you take this week to actively “see” God’s image in someone you find difficult to love (e.g., a gesture, prayer, or intentional conversation)? [39:09]
3. When have you withheld kindness or respect from someone because you disagreed with their choices? How can you honor their God-given dignity while still holding to your convictions? [34:28]
4. The sermon says, “You cannot love what you refuse to see.” What person or group do you tend to avoid engaging with? What would it look like to intentionally “look up” and acknowledge their humanity this week? [36:13]
5. How might your daily routines (e.g., errands, work, social media) become opportunities to practice “Abraham-like” hospitality? Name one specific context where you’ll choose to act on what you see first.
6. Reflect on Jesus washing the feet of Judas, a betrayer. Who in your life feels “unworthy” of your love, and what small act of service could mirror Christ’s example? [33:38]