Episode 74 Other People’s Glasses

This story is borrowed from a friend. A little boy climbs up in his Grandpa’s lap and asks, “Can I try on your glasses Grampa?”

“Okay, but be careful, they’re pretty strong.”

He picks up the glasses and puts them on… followed by… “AAAGH!”

The little boy got up from his Grandpa’s lap, announcing to the rest of the room, “You live in a scary world Grandpa.”

We don’t do this often enough. You’re listening to Living the Freedom Life, and today we’re talking about Trying on Other Peoples Glasses, ep 74.

 

Have you ever tried to look through someone else’s glasses? That can be a really scary thing. They don’t see things the way you do, or better yet, those glasses aren’t designed to filter the world around you in the way that you see. 

To Grandpa, those glasses aren’t scary at all. In fact, they help Grandpa cherish his grandson. Grandpa sees things the way his eyes have adjusted through the years to his experiences.

When you try on someone else’s glasses and they don’t fit the way you see, you can’t deny that they filter the way that they see. Those glasses are made specifically for them.  You can’t deny that. The way they see isn’t wrong, it’s just… different. 

You’re probably saying to yourself, “yes, you’ve made your point”. 

 

Well, this is a scary world. If we experience something new if we experience something that we don’t know, that’s scary. Even what we do know is sometimes just as scary. 

So let me encourage you, keep looking, searching to understand, keep learning and listening, and trying on other peoples glasses. It takes two rare Commodities today, It takes a little time, and it takes a little effort. 

When we do that, We conquer our fears by seeing what other people see… Living in their shoes, seeing what they see, eating what they eat, hearing what they hear. In a way, we invade their world, that is, if we want to understand. 

I guess you could say that’s what Jesus did… he didn’t have to, but he took some time, and a whole lot of effort, He wrapped himself in human skin, He limited Himself in time and space,  lived with human ears,  human eyes,  and human hands. I guess you could say he crawled up into Humanities lap  and tried on the glasses. He came to see firsthand, how scary it is to be human. 

 

He certainly didn’t have to do this, because he’s not bound by time. He has all the time, ever. He’s also not bound by knowledge, because it’s Limitless. He’s the source of all knowledge. I suppose he did all of this for our account. So that we will know that He knows what it is to be human. 

 

And he left us with a profound backstory truth: “If we don’t learn to see what others see… to feel what others feel… we will never understand why we’re here.”

This life lesson is kind of a trial run while we’re here on Earth. Think about it. We have to learn this lesson taking time and putting forth effort to see what others see. Because, our challenge today, just maybe to see how he sees. 

It’s quite difficult to forsake the way that we see, and accept the way that He sees. 

The way He sees creation, The magnitude and Splendor of his creation is truly amazing, inspiring, and astounding.  

The way he sees others.  When we hone this skill, forgiveness will come much easier and healing will be quicker and more thorough. 

The way He sees us. Yeah, this is a big one. How we see even ourselves. I mean, I know what kind of person I am, and if anyone ever found out, you probably wouldn’t like me very much. So the challenge is to see myself the way God sees me? That’s a pretty tall order. And just for the record, I fail at it often. But for the grace of God, go I. 

 

Thank you Lord for the Incarnation… for taking the time and putting forth the effort, and for the eyeglasses that changed everything. Thank you for letting me try on your glasses. 

Living the Freedom Life, this is Kyle