Through this same window

By: carole l. haines

We’ve heard it said that the eyes are the Windows of the soul.  Perhaps true, perhaps not.  But I know that we only have one set of eyes, and through them we have seen everything in our entire lives.  I have an incredible picture window in my living room.  And I gaze out that window each and every day.  I have seen my precious hummingbirds feeding there.  I have witnessed the Snow-pocalypse of 2016.  Through this window I have watched leaves bud, blossom, change color, and then fall.  I have no control over what happens outside of this window.  Nor do I have control over what happens outside of my own being.  I have no control over my destiny either.  But God doesn’t ask me to be in control of these things. He asks me to trust Him with them.
I can’t change what has happened in my life, both my own bad decisions, or the bad decisions of others, the past is past.  But God can work all these things together for my good, and for His purposes (Romans 8:28).  Through this same window of my life, I can learn to see things differently, yesterday, today and forever; because of who God is.  He transforms me from the inside out.  My understanding of all that I have been through, all that I have witnessed, and even my future hope;  they have all been changed by God Himself. Because of this reality, I must choose never to look upon another human being with my own eyes, but with His eyes only, with God’s perspective alone.  His perspective is always one of love. He is always reaching out to those who do not know Him yet.  I love what the Bible says about this:
¹⁶ Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  (2 Corinthians 5 NASB)
The word ‘recognize’ here in Greek means to know, perceive, understand or have regard for.  We are not to know anyone according to our old way of thinking anymore.  We must not perceive them from a worldly perspective, but from God’s alone.  This includes ourselves.  So consider, dear Believers the windows out of which you view the world, your eyes and your heart.  For all is changed now, both inside of you, and out.  May the Lord transform our hearts and minds so fully that we see everything differently through these same eyes, through this same window.  God Bless