Treasure Hunt

Read: 2 Corinthians 5

We have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. . . . Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

IN WORD

Many people saw Jesus as a man. He was certainly an unusual man, but in their eyes, still just a man. They didn’t understand the cosmic conflict behind the scenes, the spiritual significance of His work, or the divine source of His words. They regarded Him from a worldly point of view.

That was a mistake. Spiritual eyes see differently, and some people saw clearly enough to recognize Jesus for who He is. Jesus demonstrated this kind of vision by calling Peter a rock long before Peter acted like one, by recognizing Nathanael’s sincerity before they even met, and by seeing the potential of a woman with a bad reputation. He saw with spiritual eyes, which rarely agree with the superficial vision we so often apply to each other. He looked into hearts and recognized true identity.

We have to learn to do that too. In the Kingdom, we have to ignore natural perceptions and see the truth of each other’s identity. We no longer define people by their past or even by their present. We anticipate their potential in Christ. We no longer consider only the exercise of their natural gifts but also the quality of their faith, through which God can do wonders. We see children as mighty people of faith, the poor as privileged experts in depending on God, the quirky and eccentric as those who are free to follow the Spirit rather than being enslaved by the opinions of human beings, the servant-hearted as great in the Kingdom of God. We don’t measure with worldly measurements; we measure with the heart of God.

IN DEED

Cultivate true vision. Hunt for treasures in people rather than looking for flaws. Instead of seeing what someone has done, see instead what God can do in them. Before you were a new creation, you were potentially a new creation. Everyone in the world falls into one of those two categories. Learn to look past the old and see the new.

ADDITIONAL READING: Colossians 3:1-4

Faith is the sight of the inward eye.

ALEXANDER MACLAREN