Seeing!?!
Rabbi Harold Kushner says this about religion in his book Who Needs God "Religion is not primarily a set of beliefs, a collection of prayers or a series of rituals. Religion is first and foremost a way of seeing. It can't change the facts about the world we live in, but it can change the way we see those facts, and that in itself can often make a difference."
How does your faith effect your seeing? Knowing God and being known by God impacts the way we see the world and the way that we interact with it. I love Kushner's point--I'm not a big fan of the world "religion"--and I hope that our faith calls us to see the world differently and puts us into action to make the facts about the world change. I think that one of the greatest gift of faith is the way that it alters our seeing. As disciples we see the world through cross shaped lenses. Our eyes are refocused, not just to the cross and what Jesus has done (though that is always a good place to focus) but on seeing those people and instances around us in a new light. Luke 10:23-24 "Then turning to Jesus' disciples he spoke to them by themselves, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.'"
We see differently in other ways too. We see more clearly the hand of God at work within our lives. The majestic rays of a sunset. The unexplainable cure of cancer. The surprising gift of a job. The moundful pile of mashed potatoes. With the gift of sight that comes from faith we are able to look at these as gifts from God.
As we turn our hearts and minds (and stomachs) to Thanksgiving may we collectivly thank the Lord for the eyes of faith that allow us to see the world and God's children through the eyes of our savior.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
How does your faith effect your seeing? Knowing God and being known by God impacts the way we see the world and the way that we interact with it. I love Kushner's point--I'm not a big fan of the world "religion"--and I hope that our faith calls us to see the world differently and puts us into action to make the facts about the world change. I think that one of the greatest gift of faith is the way that it alters our seeing. As disciples we see the world through cross shaped lenses. Our eyes are refocused, not just to the cross and what Jesus has done (though that is always a good place to focus) but on seeing those people and instances around us in a new light. Luke 10:23-24 "Then turning to Jesus' disciples he spoke to them by themselves, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.'"
We see differently in other ways too. We see more clearly the hand of God at work within our lives. The majestic rays of a sunset. The unexplainable cure of cancer. The surprising gift of a job. The moundful pile of mashed potatoes. With the gift of sight that comes from faith we are able to look at these as gifts from God.
As we turn our hearts and minds (and stomachs) to Thanksgiving may we collectivly thank the Lord for the eyes of faith that allow us to see the world and God's children through the eyes of our savior.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
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Comment by Katy Resop on December 10, 2008 at 10:06pm - I LOVED this post. "Seeing." That's a beautiful concept.
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