Eyes Like His
What if We Saw Others the Way He Sees Us?
By Brian Sites
I wish I could say that I always see people like Jesus does. But my spiritual eyes do not always see 20/20. My vision has been blurred by selfishness and arrogance. Busyness and distraction weaken my eyesight. To be honest, sometimes I am simply blinded by my own sin.
Jesus sees people so clearly; I see them as complicated. Where I see interruptions, He sees opportunities. Where I see a bundle of problems, He sees their potential. How can I have eyes like His?
The Bible gives us many powerful glimpses of how Jesus views people. Ordinary, everyday people like you and me. Rich and poor. Some who thought they had it all together, and many who knew they were a hot mess. Religious people, and people who were far from God. Proud people. Hurting people.
Jesus Never Sees People as Interruptions or Inconveniences.
Each life that intersected with Jesus’ was an opportunity to point people to the goodness and glory of God. Like the woman who grabbed His coat as He made His way to heal a little girl—she desperately needed a healing touch that no doctors could provide. Oh, they had tried, but she simply got worse. She sought a miraculous treatment that she couldn’t possibly afford—she had already spent everything she had. So she got close enough to just touch Jesus’ clothes, and the unimaginable happened. “Jesus turned and saw her” (Matthew 9:22), and He healed her.
What if I saw people that way? Instead of seeing an endless crowd of needy people, what if I began to believe I might have exactly what they need? It could be an encouraging word or Godly wisdom, a thoughtful prayer or healing touch, a Biblical truth or tangible gift. What if our lives crossed paths so that they could experience the goodness and the glory of God—through me?
Several years ago, I was driving home at the end of a very long and full day. I was exhausted and eager to put a period on the sentence of that day’s work. As I drove, I saw a friend of mine walking—actually, stumbling through the half-lit parking lot of a big, abandoned box store. He was barefoot and disheveled. It was already dark, much later than most people would normally be out for a stroll.
I knew he was far from home—and I don’t just mean his street address. I am ashamed of my first thoughts: “You did this to yourself. This is where your choices have led you. You’re ruining your life and destroying your sweet family.” But then I saw him through Jesus’ eyes. I pulled up beside him and rolled down my window so he could hear me call his name. He looked at me with empty, sad, drunken eyes before declining a ride. I told him I loved him, and prayed, and wept.
Jesus Never Sees People as "Less Than."
Jesus gave value to every person He came in contact with. Even when Jesus saw the “least of these,” He counted Himself among them. Think about this: we are to have the same mindset Jesus had, one that sees others as better than ourselves and looks to the interests of others before our own (Philippians 2:1-8). Jesus did this so perfectly. He grabbed a bowl of water and a towel and washed the dirty feet of His disciples. He sat down for dinner with tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. He saw a woman caught in the act of adultery—let that sink in for a moment—and instead of throwing a stone, He offered grace.
What if I saw people that way? What if I served others simply because they were created in the image of God and they are precious to Him? What if, instead of pronouncing judgment, I lovingly communicated truth, and truthfully communicated love? Every person I meet provides an avenue for generosity or service, every conversation a pathway for grace.
Some time ago, my wife had taken our daughter to the doctor’s office for an x-ray. She called me on her way home and announced, “I need you to take $500 back to the x-ray tech.” Puzzled, I explained to her that it didn’t work that way, that they would submit it to insurance and send me a bill. She clarified: “No, not for the medical bill...for him.” I’m embarrassed to say that I objected. After all, that was a lot of money, and it wasn’t God giving those directions to me! I simply saw an employee doing his job. But she saw a lonely refugee, separated from his wife and children by thousands of miles and several years. Yet he lived with joy and contentment and a faith that God would provide a way for them to be reunited. He was the x-ray tech, but my wife was the one who could see beneath the surface. She asked me to take a second glance, to look at him with Jesus’ eyes, and we made a friend.
Jesus Never Sees People as Lost Causes.
To be clear, Jesus knows that without Him, we are lost. Still, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) Their “lostness” didn’t frustrate, discourage, or anger Jesus—it moved Him to compassion. What’s more, it moved Him to live on mission.
What if I saw people that way? What if I looked closer into the crowds—my neighborhood, workplace, team, or gym—and saw people as they really are? Confused, helpless, harassed, and hurting—sheep without a shepherd. What if instead of retreating to my safe, sanctified circle of friends, I was motivated by the mission? “The harvest is great,” Jesus said, “but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9:37)
Jesus met a man who was trying to figure out how to inherit eternal life. He might have been asking the wrong questions, and he definitely had significant hurdles to overcome. Ultimately, this man walked away from Jesus. But don’t miss the posture of Jesus: “Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him.” (Mark 10:21)
You see, I believe Jesus sees you and me the same way. His eyes default to love, because He is love (1 John 4:8). And as we follow Him and become more and more like Him, we’ll love others, too. We’ll serve them and share with them and show grace to them. We’ll see people with eyes like His.