JAMES DAY 12 - See Like God Sees

DAY 12
SEE LIKE GOD SEES
James 2:2-4

Be like God, but don’t try to be God.

That summarizes the Bible’s wisdom in one simple sentence. Be like God - reflect God’s love, compassion, and fairness. But don’t try to be God - don’t try to be the center of the universe, selfishly demanding everyone treat you as most important.

James treats playing favorites like playing God. When we treat people based on surface-level criteria, we’re “judges with evil thoughts.” We’re trying to judge people, which only God can do properly, but not judging people rightly.

God’s not impressed by so much of what impresses us. On page after page of the Bible, God chooses the powerless as a partner. God picked Israel to serve-up salvation to the world when God could’ve picked the Egyptian empire. God picked David to be king when Samuel thought God would surely pick David’s good-looking older brother. Jesus could’ve been born a Roman emperor but God chose Mary and Joseph. 

By holding up God’s way of valuing people vs ours, James is telling us to see like God sees.

I have so many stories of times someone surprised me by reversing my first impression of them. Sometimes I’ve met people who looked successful, their lives well-put-together, only to find out later it was hiding a life in chaos. Other times I didn’t think much of someone only to be surprised by how dear they became to me.

If we see like God sees, we’ll love below the surface. We can train ourselves to see like God sees in three ways. First, constantly come back to Scripture’s pattern of picking and protecting the powerless. Second, elevate our self-awareness. We’ve got to notice when we’re not seeing like God sees. Third, spend time with people the world ignores. The more you do, the more you’ll reprogram your way of seeing people. Faith that works loves below the surface, so see like God sees.

REFLECT
What one thing will you do this week to train yourself to see like God sees?

PRAY
Father, I don’t see people like you. I’m easily impressed by things that don’t impress you. Change my mind. Help me to see like you see. Amen.