For so long, I have judged others, and even myself, by what I consider good or bad – my understanding, and if I’m honest, probably my interpretation, of those concepts. I am starting to realize though, that what I see in others, in situations, and in life is that which I am seeking and/or becoming.

This photo is an unfiltered African Safari Sunset from May 2016. It’s easy to recognize the beauty from this photo. What you don’t see are the three lions behind the camera about 150 yards. In person, many of us focused on the lions eating their dinner. The danger that was present was real and did need to be recognized. They could have turned and come toward us at any moment. But if that’s all I would have focused on, I would have never seen this beautiful sunset. This photo does not do it justice, of course, but it is a reminder that if we focus too much on the danger, we may miss the beauty of the divine.

Titus 1:15 TLB, says “A person who is pure of heart sees goodness and purity in everything; but a person whose own heart is evil and untrusting finds evil in everything, for his dirty mind and rebellious heart color all he sees and hears.”

If I am pursuing Christ I will begin to see his truth and character in others. In fact, I wonder if this might be both a command (to do these things) as well as a result of doing these things.

Knowing my own rebellious heart and wrong motives, I tend to doubt other people’s motives. Most times I don’t even know the people or question their motives. This default setting is from years of self-doubt, impure motives, and laziness. I say I seek and desire God’s truth, but if that’s true then I must start looking for truth and goodness in others.

All too often we are reminded of our own “evilness” and “unworthiness” by our enemy, and even our own minds. In most cases, we don’t need help recognizing the ungodly.

We need help recognizing the divine.

I recognize evil all too easily. Even when there is no evil, my own evil desires and ways tint the lenses through which I see the world. Instead, my goal needs to be to recognize the divine because of the divine at work in me and through me.

We all have mirrors that are dirty and grimy, spotted with toothpaste and smeared with grime. We need a mirror that reflects the divine. I believe it’s our calling to be that mirror for others.

Call out the divine you see in people! Single out the good! Encourage people with how you see them being attentive to the Holy Spirit. While we shouldn’t ignore the dirt and the grime, let’s not recognize it before we search for the divine.

Let us wonder in amazement of all that God is doing in people and through people. Let’s use that as our default setting instead of the dirty, grimy magnifying glass we’ve been looking through. Maybe, as we start seeing the divine in others, we’ll start recognizing the divine in our own lives also.

Father, help me to recognize the divine in others and quit using my past as the lens through which I judge their motives. Help me to recognize your grace, truth and love in them and even myself. I want my default reaction to people to be one of divine vision, not vision tainted by evil motives. I ask you for wisdom and discernment. Help me to love people where they are and into a place where you want them to be. ~ Amen