In the Eyes part 1
Plato said, "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder." I think this is important. Because, let's face it, what we see is what we be. Even though we know better--even though Jesus told us not to judge according to appearance, but to judge righteous judgment--we look at something and we make snap judgments. Snap decisions. The whole idea of "love at first sight." That feeling we get where we KNOW something just by looking at it. It can be a powerful feeling, but let me tell you what I tell my three and a half year old son, Logan: Feel what you feel, just don't let it control you. There's nothing wrong with feelings, or emotions. But we can get into a lot of trouble when we are led by our feelings or emotions. It's the idea of the soul--your mind, will, or emotions--being in charge. Now before I quote this Scripture let me just make certain we understand that in the Bible the man represents the spirit, and the woman represents the soul. So when the Apostle Paul said, "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to ursurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" (1 Timothy 2:12), we can see the truth about the spirit and the soul. I'm NOT talking about natural men or women. Some of the best teachers in the world are women. That's a fact, Jack. But we're talking spiritually. We're talking about the eyes. Natural eyes (or the soul) can only see the surface things. But Spiritual eyes (literally the Holy Spirit) sees what's inside. Watch this progression in Song of Solomon: First we see (in Chapter 1 verse 15), "Behold, thou art fair, my love; thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes." Then, as we go a little bit further (in Chapter 5 verse 2), "I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." Doves' eyes... to being a dove. Seeing through the Holy Spirit... to being transformed by it. What we see is what we be. What we believe defines our reality. What we magnify is what manifests in our lives. Not being ruled by the soul, but being led by the Spirit. Now let's bring this home. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The way we see each other is so important. The way we see each other needs to be the way God--the way LOVE--sees us. And when God looks at us, He sees Jesus. When God looks at Jesus He sees us. As He is so are we in this world. Our true identity is NOT the surface stuff. It's the inner man. The hidden man of the heart. Guys... you are not what people call you. But you ARE what you answer to. How you see God is how you see yourself, and others. That's why Jesus--the light of the world--came to show us the Father. He shined His light so we could see clearly. And by SEEING clearly, we don't have to judge by appearance. We can judge righteous judgment. We see with love and we BE what we SEE!