A
thought by Brant Hansen (2015-04-14) from his book, Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better (p.
27). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to
Amazon.com to buy the book.)
Here is what
Brant says, “God sees things we don’t. He must, because He hasn’t vaporized us
yet. He must look at a seriously messed-up world and still see what can be done
with it. He sees what it can and will be.”
Brant
earlier said, “Some people are artists. They just see things better. When they
look at something, they see potential outcomes. They see what could be. Like my
friend Chris. Chris was elated at his find one time, and he enthusiastically
showed it to me. It was a pile of flattened cardboard boxes he’d gotten from a
Dumpster. Seriously, he was overjoyed. ‘This
is the good stuff, my friend!’ he told me. ‘Look at this!’ The good stuff? I guess it was. Weeks later, he showed me a crèche
he’d made, life-size: Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. It was painted with small flags
from around the world, to demonstrate the relevance of Christ to the modern
world in the midst of nations and wars. When he told me it was made out of
cardboard, I couldn’t believe it. It looked as though it were chiseled from
white stone. He’d made it from the ‘good stuff’— you know, from the Dumpster.
Chris is an artist. He just sees things.”
Brant goes
on, “He apparently sees us the same way. He’s not just an artist, of course,
like Chris. He’s also a Father. Good dads are like that. You may be a drop-out,
underachiever, whatever, and a good dad will still love you, but he’ll push you
to change, because he sees a different you ahead. He sees a finished product,
an adult who uses his or her talents and is a blessing to others. He sees
something wonderful.”
That is the
way God is and how he wants us to be. Brant
says, “Yes, God sees things we don’t. We can risk loving people— incredibly
difficult, insulting people— because He loves us. That person you find so
offensive? Somehow, God sees something there. Something you don’t. Ask Him what
it is. Maybe He’ll show you. I bet He wants to?”
So do you want
to see?
Comments
Post a Comment