Through His Eyes
- Jim ordered Travis (our son-in-law) a Christmas present and when it came, he wrapped it and wrote things on it and was so pleased with himself. Travis is his buddy and it's the only present Jim has bought or wrapped this year.
- I heard a minister talk one time (this is really branching out on the subject) about how we need to realize that what may be a small step for us could be a huge, giant step for someone else.
- The preacher talked about someone coming from a horrible upbringing or suffering severe trauma to the point that it effected the way they viewed everything in life and how for that person just to reach out and show a small kindness, could take extraordinary effort.
- That thought impacted me and I try to remember this when dealing with some people who I see making what I might think of as a tiny step in the right direction. Their attempt could really be more heroic than I realize. And it could only be because of my own good fortune (there but for the grace of God, go I) that I am not being trivialized by others for something that was a gigantic step for me.
- I need to incorporate this kind of thinking more into my daily life. I believe it leads to greater compassion and understanding and the ability to truly show love to those around me who formerly would not have measured up to some internal list of standards I am tempted judge others by.
- In light of all this, it makes sense Jesus said that when He judges, He does it with righteous judgment. So, it's not that we are not to judge but to do our best to view the situation through the eyes and Spirit of Someone more compassionate and loving than we could ever be on our own.
- Anyway, just thinking about Jim (with no prompts from me) reaching out to buy a gift for someone else (when he almost never does that) and wrapping it too, (which he doesn't do either) and adding little funny notes to it, (a gigantic personality flip) is so touching to my heart.
- I need to remember this about my sweetheart. For the truth may be that he has made a greater step in his life recently with that one act, than I (with all of my gift buying and present wrapping of the last few weeks) have done.