How do you see the world around you? A few weeks ago, I let you in and told you about one of the ways I see the world around me, specifically how I look at time and people (See It’s a Colorful Life). I believe that everyone sees the world through a different set of eyes. We each have a unique set of experiences that colors the world we see. Not only do we all have different perspectives, but we each have very distinct views of life.
Maybe some people share similar experiences and hold similar views, beliefs, and values, but God has created each of us so uniquely individually that I believe no two people see the same thing the same way. We each wear our own pair of rose-colored glasses. I may wear a lovely shade of emerald green lenses when I look out at the world and Susie Que may wear a lighter, spring green pair; both green, but both different shades of the same color.
Our emotions, experiences, and personalities shape who we are, and who we are affects how we see the people and places around us. How we see people can factor into how we treat them. Do you see the world through a spiritual lens? Some people do and others don’t. Our beliefs and values determine how we see the world around us and have an incredible impact on how we behave.
If I believe that every person has value, no matter who they are, because God made them, then I should treat each person with some basic level of respect and reverence…shouldn’t I? After World War II, a group of leaders came together to form the United Nations with the intent to prevent such a travesty from every reoccurring. The United Nations created a Universal Declaration of Human Rights which details a list of basic rights to which every human is entitled.After the horrific events of the Holocaust, the world decided that people—no matter what skin color, what religion, what sex, what anything—deserved to be treated like people, not animals.
This declaration legally prevents one human from torturing another, buying and selling another, etc. It is a lens through which we may view the world. If everyone holds the same basic rights, then we agree as a species to refuse to support certain behaviors and practices. Now, obviously there are psychotic criminals in the world who don’t abide by the rules, but that doesn’t negate the fact that the rules are in place and, to the best of our abilities, enforced.
So, what color are the lenses in your glasses? How do you see the world? Do you let everything fall into a blur around you and just simply try to survive from one day to the next? Do you fall into bed, exhausted at night? Do you stop in the mornings and spend five minutes to recharge and prioritize?
Admittedly, I don’t always get my devotional time in the morning, but I’ve found time and time again that my days are so much better when I do. I need my time with God. Desperately. That time in the morning is the only thing that keeps me sane sometimes. Because I am a Christian, I believe that one-on-one time is crucial to my personal development. My spiritual growth depends on the reflection and rest I receive when I study my Bible and pray. That time plays a direct role in who I am, who I want to be, and who I will become.
I believe with all of my heart that God created me uniquely, beautifully, and with a purpose. I seek to find the talents and passions God gave me to fulfill the specific, unique purpose only I can fulfill. I believe that everyone has a purpose and the potential to live incredible, prosperous lives, lives that affect the world around them. You can change the world. You can move mountains. Through God, all things are possible.
I believe that every person on this planet was created in God’s image. That means that I believe every person holds value and worth in God’s eyes. When was the last time you saw the people around you through God’s eyes? That’s hard. Sometimes, that’s really hard. People have hurt you, they have betrayed you. People have abused you, people have abandoned you and left you for dead. It’s hard to look past the pain and the hurt. It’s hard to forgive. I’ve struggled with genuine, deep-felt anger and hurt. I’ve struggled with forgiveness. I know this broken world is filled with hate and grief, sorrow and pure pain. But in my darkest moments, God reminds me that He didn’t just die for me. He died for everyone else too. He died for the people that hurt me. He died for the people who betrayed me. He died for the people I don’t want to forgive and the people who get on my last nerve. Not only did Jesus die for them, but He loves them.
Wow. What would it be like to love—truly love, love the way Christ loves—our enemies? The people whose names are written on the scars of our hearts. The people who have dug into our souls and gutted us. What would it be like to show them compassion and kindness the way God shows us compassion and kindness? If God forgave me, then why in the world can I not forgive my neighbor? There is no excuse. Not that I can find.
I know it isn’t easy. I know it hurts. And, I can’t promise it’ll stop hurting or that it will ever become easy. In fact, I can pretty much assure you this life will always bring pain and suffering. But we can use the storms to grow. Let the difficulties of life refine you, not define you. My worldview is tainted. It’s inevitable. But I am choosing to intentionally be aware of that and to see the world around me through a positive lens. I hope you can find a way to use your experiences and values to change how you view the word for the better.
I want to be reminded to see the people around me the way God sees them: as precious, unique, beautiful individuals. We are each a work of art, signed by the Creator of the Universe. If we’re going to have tainted glasses, let them be tainted by God’s love. I view everything in my life through the lens of my belief in God. Those are my rose-colored glasses. What are yours?
Love always,
Coralie
Rose-colored Stained Glass Windows by Petra (one of my favorite bands ever!)