Our dog, Leo, is spoiled. That is probably an understatement. Everyone that spends time with Leo gives him something. He is cute and sweet so it is hard to resist giving him something extra. We always say that Leo is living his best life. He is treated like the king in our household. He’s pretty sure he is the king. The deal with Leo is that he is lovable. He doesn’t mind curling up next to you and sitting with you when you are having a rough time. He doesn’t ask for too much and he will be glad to just love us even when we aren’t that lovable.
It really is easy to love those that are just lovable. Those people that bring joy when you are around make you want to love them. You want to do things for them. You want to go the extra mile because you feel like they are just worth it. It happens to us all. We need those lovable people in our lives and we will do whatever to help them. But we are also called to love the un-lovable. We are given directives to love the grumpy, hateful, rude folks. We are told to love those that don’t look like us or act like us or believe like us. We are challenged to reach outside of our circle and love those that we would never consider even carrying on a conversation. Those are the people we are to love.
That’s really the rub for most of us. To love someone means we cannot simply avoid them. We cannot ignore them. We cannot pretend they don’t exist. They do and those are the people we are to love. We are looking at those that we are sent to care and nurture.
Maybe it begins with seeing them again for the first time. Maybe we start by seeing them as God’s creations…as God’s beautifully and wonderfully created children…as people that are loved by an amazing God just like us…as people that actually aren’t that different from us if we really tried to get to know them. Maybe we begin to see them with a whole new vision – a vision given to us by God – to see the heart rather than the exterior. Maybe today we simply begin with seeing God in others. That may be just the place to begin.
Focus Scripture:
Psalm 139:16
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 