Building the Kingdom of God is accomplished by living our lives in such a way that we look just like Jesus. If you want to honor God, do the things that Jesus did. While no one I know has mastered the art of walking on water or giving sight to the blind, there are many less super-natural ways we can live that beautifully reflect the love and character of Christ. Jesus told the crowds in His day that He had come to seek and save those who were lost (Luke 19:10). That is something you and I can do in our everyday lives, no miracles required. All it takes is a willingness to see the world through the eyes of Jesus.
Several years ago, an artist named Brandon Heath wrote a song that captured this brilliantly:
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the one’s forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Who in your life fits into one of the categories in those lyrics? Who do you know that is brokenhearted? Who has been forgotten in this world, drifting along in loneliness and despair? What about those in other countries who are beyond your reach? What could you do today to reflect the love of Jesus into their lives?
We miss so much because we do not have the eyes or the mind of Christ. Whereas He came to seek and save the lost, more often than not we are concerned with seeking what is good for us and saving our own skin. If we want to live a life that looks like Jesus, we have to get our eyes off of ourselves and onto the lives of those in need.
A disciple of Jesus looks like Jesus. Our selfish ways are never going to cast the reflection of Christ. There is so much need around us that it can seem overwhelming. Start with those in your immediate circle. Who needs an encouraging word or a helping hand today? Ask God to give you His eyes as you go to work or walk through your neighborhood. What would Jesus see? Here’s a hint: He would see those things that we ignore.
Jesus wouldn’t avoid the conversation with the difficult neighbor. He wouldn’t step over the homeless person lying in the street. I can’t imagine Jesus ever suppressing a smile towards someone society has thrown away. How much are we missing because we are too busy to see? More importantly, how many people remain forgotten, ignored, and desperate because our focus is on our own problems instead of on the very ones Jesus came to seek and save? Give me Your eyes Jesus. Help me to see what I’ve been missing, and to always think less of me.