The Clarity of Christ

I picked up my new glasses today.

The prescription was only marginally stronger than my last pair, nevertheless as soon as I tried them on, I was acutely aware of a marked difference in my vision.

“Don’t worry,” the optometrist assured me, noticing my discomfort. “It can take some time for your eyes and brain to adjust. It won’t take long until you’re seeing clearly.”

I hoped he was right. It was unsettling and uncomfortable seeing the world through a different lens—even temporarily. Yet I couldn’t help but think later that, as Christians, isn’t that exactly what we are called to do?

To see the world through God’s eyes.

Just imagine if we saw every person we came across (in our daily life and online!) as a deeply valued, dearly loved child of God, created in His image, who we treated with compassion, mercy, and grace.

Imagine if we viewed every good thing in our life with profound gratitude as a gift from above; if every trial was looked upon as an opportunity to grow in faith, perseverance, and deeper reliance on Him.

Imagine if could see every day—every breath even—as a God-given opportunity to share His saving love with the broken and lost. If the suffering and injustice felt by others moved us to action, serving and praying for our communities with renewed purpose and passion.

Oh just imagine how these lenses could change the world!

The perspective with which we choose to see the world matters. But there is a cost. To live fully awake, with our eyes open, we must first be willing to get uncomfortable. To allow God to change us from the inside out in order to use us as agents of change in the world. To choose love even when it isn’t returned or justified or rational. To be the hands and feet of Jesus to a world that both needs and rejects Him—and, by association, us

Yes, the filter of faith may be unsettling and certainly takes some adjusting to. But the clarity Christ brings is always worth the cost.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew‬ ‭6:22-23,‬ ‭NIV‬‬).