Perspective part 2
Genesis 6:8 tells us that, "...Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." Because that's where grace is found. In the eyes of Jesus. Which, if you remember the total and complete lack of separation between us and Jesus--He is our true identity, and as He is so are we in this world--what we come to understand is that we find grace in each other's eyes. Some cultures believe that the eyes are the windows to the soul. They show what's inside. There is grace, and mercy, and LOVE inside. All of us. Sometimes it's buried down deep under a whole mountain of surface stuff, but it's down there. The inner man. The hidden man of the heart. So when our perspective is twisted around, that's all we see. We see--and judge--according to appearance. What people do, instead of who they are. And we label them that way. "He's a liar." "She's mean." And we treat them accordingly. But guess what, you can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. So if someone is lying to you, chances are they've been lied to. If someone is mean, chances are someone was mean to them. So at that point we have two choices. 1. We can give back what they give us and keep the cycle going. Or 2. We can change our perspective, turn the other cheek, give them what WE'VE got instead, and break the cycle. True compassion is getting hurt by someone and trying to figure out--and help them with--the pain that THEY are in. Look at what John 1:14 says about Jesus, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." The Word--love--was made flesh. Love... in action. Charity. And look at what He was full of: Grace and truth. Jesus was full of grace. Graceful. Why do you think grace was in His eyes? Because He was filled to overflowing with it. There's a progression in Song of Solomon that looks like this: "Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes..." (Chapter 4 verse 1). Then, "My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her..." (Chapter 6 verse 9). And, of course, the dove is the Holy Spirit. So first she--the bride of Christ, the Lamb's wife-- has doves' eyes. She (we) sees with the Spirit. With grace. With love. Then she BECOMES the dove. Because what you see is what you be. When you see Jesus in everyone it's much easier to get along with everyone. Much easier to love everyone. And when they do something you don't like... you're not just full of the truth about them... you're also full of grace! You can give them room to learn and grow. To make mistakes without getting disqualified. To get corrected instead of punished. That's the right perspective. We're all in this together. We're all parts of the same body. We're all ONE. The Lamb's wife is but ONE. One New Man (if I can mix my metaphors). With a new nature. A love nature. Not just what we do, but who we are. A New Man with a new mind--the mind of Christ. A New Man... with a new perspective!