dennis j adams

There are just times, that is right, just times. When you stop and think why am I seeing things in this manner. How I think I should be looking at this situation, nominally, is to have an attitude which I deserve to support. However, as logical as it may seem, it is not the way my eyes are inspecting the situation. Jesus when He looked out across the crowd saw them differently than anyone else. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36 ESV) He saw through “shepherds eyes”. The Creator looked at His creation and had compassion of them. Each of us that walk in the Spirit and live in the Spirit also, should have the “eyes” of a shepherd. When the Good Samaritan was walking down the road and he “saw” the man left for dead, beaten and robbed he stopped and helped. Not like the others that had already passed by. They were looking through the eyes of there own self interest. There are many things that these eyes have seen that I could have really judged poorly, negative or self-centered, with reservations about the truth. I could not though because of the submission to the Great Shepherd and years of praying and fasting. What your eyes see and expect should always be filtered through the Word of God. Referring back to how and why Jesus saw the crowd is such a enormous teaching about care and compassion. Also, it expresses the comparative between being spiritual and being carnal. Looking from a heart of stone and your evaluation of humanity can only bring the results that are not needed in learning to live or embrace life. Along with looking out from your eyes there is the aspect of receiving in from your eyes and making snap decisions that weigh against the spiritual side of your life. In the “self” part of are nature there is a battle to be the conqueror and to be positively right at all times.

Paul when he was going around and imprisoning and murdering Christians in the early days of the Church, he was looking through eyes of the Law of Man. Seeing only what was threatening and not what could become a miracle. His eyes were blinded by the Lord and then reopened by the Lord three days later (Acts 9). When his eyes were reopened they were now viewed people and circumstances through the eyes of the shepherd. Caring, compassionate, concerned and confident in every instant of sight. When we have an experience with the Lord Jesus Christ, are view of life changes drastically. For the better not for the worst. Wisdom infiltrates our thoughts and not the wisdom of men but the wisdom of God.

I do not for a moment, try to conceive nor do I believe that anyone that may read this will understand what I am writing… the important subject of this matter is that you can look and know that your eyes are clear like a shepherds or blurred by the self interest of your own life. I ponder often about Jesus’ confrontation with Peter when He asked him the question: Do you love me?

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17 ESV)

I am deeply interested in the concept that is being born here with this trading of words between Jesus and Peter. Do you love me? Then look through my eyes and see the creation, see humanity as I see them. Be moved with compassion and concern and feed my sheep! Look and listen as you live your life and know that what you see will be seen through eyes of a shepherd. Your understanding will be spiritual and the discernment will be sharp like the edge of sword which has been recently sharpened. When Peter came out of he upper room in Acts 2 he saw the crowds and spoke the heart of a shepherd. Seeing them as lost and hurting he was quickly able to bring them to the place of repentance and humility. A social station where they could make a decision and follow Christ Jesus. Now that is seeing through the “Shepherds eyes”.

Begin each day by asking for  your eyes to be opened to what the Lord desires to show you and rejoice in the honor of looking through His eyes at the generation placed before you. Do you love Him? Then feed His sheep!

Dennis

Remember prayer moves the Hand of God.