Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
John 4.35b
When you look out on the world what do you see? The answer will depend on how you see and with what eyes you look.
During Advent when we considered the anointing of David to be king of Israel we noted that ‘the Lord looks with the heart’, whereas man looks with the eyes and this is a distinction we need to note, and with God’s help move closer to his way of seeing. To move in this direction we need, consciously, to see through spiritual or perhaps better, biblical eyes.
In the verse above quoted also by Matthew and Luke we get a glimpse of how Jesus saw the world and as this New Year is under way we must learn to see it as he sees it and this involves ‘looking out’!
When Dwight L. Moody was in London for one of his famous evangelistic tours, several British clergymen visited him. They wanted to know how and why this poorly educated American was so effective in winning throngs of people to Christ. Moody took the men to the window of his hotel room and asked each in turn what he saw. One by one the men described the people in the park below. Then Moody looked out of the window with tears rolling down his cheeks. “What do you see, Mr Moody?” asked one of the men.
“I see countless thousands of souls that will one day spend eternity in hell if they do not find the Savour.”
D.L Moody clearly saw people differently than the average observer does. And because he saw eternal souls where others saw only people strolling in a park, Moody approached life with a different agenda.
D.L. Moody saw with the heart!
On Sunday last at CFC we were taken to Philippians 1.20-30 focussing on Paul’s words ‘For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.’ And challenged to see that this is Real Christianity. (The sermon can be found at www.cricciethfamilychurch.org.uk/recources/talks)
We have been challenged in the New Year to Look up and to Look in, so let’s complete the trio as we Look out, seeing with the heart those who are lost and asking God to use us to bring the message of a Saviour to them.
This will involve some hard and honest examination of ourselves and potentially lay us open to opposition from those with whom we seek to share the gospel. We do not go out to offend but the gospel is offensive to those who are perishing. Is it not worth offending if in so doing we are privileged to turn sinners from their sin to a great Saviour?
Look out with the heart of Jesus, do all you can, and leave the outcome to him.
That is Real Christianity!