Beautiful Eyes

“And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple…And [Peter] took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.” Acts 3:2,7

This story mirrors many found in the New Testament. An outcast, a second class citizen, an overlooked member of society receives restoration through the power of the gospel. Many such stories come to mind – the woman caught in adultery, the crippled and lame, the woman with the bleeding issue – on and on it goes. The incredible message of the gospel contains the power to rebuild broken lives.

We see it over and over throughout the Bible. And we do see it at times today, but I wonder why we don’t see it even more? We talk about the power of the gospel. At times we even experience it. But why aren’t we constantly seeing changed lives? Why is the world not being restored as Jesus clearly wants it to be? I don’t think we see with the right eyes.

If we examine Jesus, the apostles, and those who make big differences in this world perhaps we find that they see the world differently. Think back to the story at the Beautiful Gate. Peter and John could have walked by this lame guy. After all thousands of God fearing Jews did every day. And perhaps even the disciples walked by him before today without giving him a second thought. But today was a different day. Today these two disciples saw potential and promise. They did not see a lame guy but a guy in need of restoration. They did not see an outcast but a fractured member of society who needed healing and grafting back in.

I am cynical. I am pessimistic. I am much more likely to see a lame man than the potential available through the power of the gospel. May I and may we see through Beautiful Eyes – the kind that do not pass by the hurting, but through the power of God stop and transform the world.

“This world is enchanted. Lean closely to see it.
This world is enchanted. Dare to breath it in.
O God give us new eyes to see…
The faith of a mustard seed;
A holy naiveté;
To swim in your mystery
We need to be free.”

“Enchanted” by Aaron Niequist