Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. We had a storm pass through last night, and there’s no doubt the deer took refuge in the brush across from the front porch just like they always do. People have suggested over the years that I should clear out that area that goes untouched because all they see is an eyesore, but that’s never going to happen because all I see is beauty. All it takes is one glance at the deer taking refuge, or seeing one fawn taking its first wobbly steps from there, and it’s all over for me…and the brush remains untouched. What I see with my eyes often LOOKS like a mess, but nothing is what it appears to be on the surface. There is ALWAYS beauty to be found behind the mess if we look at Life through God’s eyes. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

Changing my way of looking at the mess that provides shelter for the deer is one thing; changing the way I look at other things in life that aren’t so pleasing to the eye is an entirely different story. It can be so easy to look at someone with tattered, dirty clothes and turn away in disgust. It can be so easy to have thoughts about how they should get up, get a job, and clean themselves up without ever considering their true circumstances or the damage they’ve incurred through the storm. But I serve a God who ALWAYS looks beyond the mess, and HE sees the beauty in everyone! Without a refuge from the storm, survival isn’t easy for the tattered and torn, the broken and the lost. Some need practical help, but they ALL need Jesus Christ…and that’s where I come in! It’s only when I (choose to) look at others with the Heart instead of just seeing them with my eyes that I can embrace the Truth…the Living God loves the tattered and torn just as much as He loves me, and He wants good things for them too. Changing my way of looking at them puts a whole new Perspective on life. Instead of thoughts of wanting to clean up the brush, I focus on the Shelter from the Storm instead. This is the key to Compassion.

We’re surrounded by the tattered and torn…suffering souls physically, financially, mentally, and spiritually, and there’s never been a better time to extend Compassion or to share the Truth. It isn’t nearly enough to say “I feel sorry for them” or “I’ll pray for them,” and it isn’t acceptable to the Living God that we leave their troubles for someone else to take care of…or not. The account of the Good Samaritan is a perfect example of that. It’s likely that a few of the people who passed by the beaten man “felt sorry” for him, and yet they did nothing. Do you really believe it’s okay with the Living God if we feel sorry for the suffering without lifting a finger to help?

Back in the “old days”, the Church took care of many of the needs, and the Church was the first to extend Compassion. Today the Church relies on the government to do its part, and they miss the opportunity to reflect the Compassion of Christ while they’re at it. It all comes down to looking at the tattered and torn with a Heart like Christ and not just with human eyes. It’s when we look at others with the Heart that we’re compelled to move from sympathetic words into ACTION. Jesus said, “whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did for me,” so walking away from the poor, the dirty, the broken, the lost, or even the “crazy” isn’t an option if we determine to Serve the Lord with Honor. Who did He ever pass by? Who did He refuse to feed? Whatever we do for them, we do FOR HIM. How sad…the same church today that is praying for revival and miracles is passing the buck to the government to tend to the needs of the needy. I’m not sure that’s going to work out so well in the End.

This new day looks a little muted…and it might just look like that all day long, but there’s NOTHING muted about my Heart or the way I’ll be looking at the world. I’m looking at this new day with my Heart and not just my eyes, and instead of running from the tattered and torn, the broken and the lost, I’ll be looking for opportunities to Serve them by doing whatever I can do in His Name. I’ll refrain from judgment because that’s not mine, and I’ll do whatever I can to bring comfort…but more than that, I’ll look at each encounter as an Ordained Moment, so I’ll be sure to Introduce them to my God…the ONLY Hope any of us really have. Every opportunity I have to Serve is a chance to Share the Truth! Whatever I do FOR them, I’m doing FOR HIM!

How about you?