Love Eyes

Learning to see someone’s heart and soul, rather than focusing on their flesh is beneficial as we minister. I call it having ‘love eyes’ for others. Godly love is unconditional love and kindness, yet we are to remember: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” (Col. 3:23) Consider the affectionate attitude in a dog, who joys to please, always watching for opportunities to be close. To me it is a glimpse of God’s eternal love in His creation, whose heart and actions manifest agape love eyes for man. He suffered and died for ungodly sinners, and enemies.God’s character is perfect, unconditional love, with charity eyes, affecting all His thoughts/deeds toward us. Living sound doctrine with faith develops this family heart love attitude in us toward others: “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another…Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” (Romans 12: 4-5,10)

Yet our tendency is to focus on the problems or on an issue. In marriage, a minor fleshly irritant often becomes a major source of arguments. Loving someone’s heart and soul sidesteps the eye’s hyper-focus on behavior to concentrate on eternal things. This spiritual adjustment had a great impact when I was a caregiver of my dad. Near the end, his flesh had many, increasing needs, overwhelming me and my husband’s life. Scripture can teach us to reset our thinking and step away from legalism. Unaware, I had piled great heaviness on myself to be the perfect caregiver to meet all his needs. God can work in us to produce His love and charity. I finally stopped focusing on meeting all his insatiable physical needs. Instead, the new priority was his heart and spirit. I stepped out from under the legalism to simply do my best, while ministering grace, offering him hugs, affection, prayer, and to read Scripture together.

Consider: Step back and think about one key relationship. Do you have love eyes for him/her, on Christ’s behalf? How could you adjust your thinking by yielding to God’s unconditional love? Think about verses. What changes are needed for God the Father to work in you to this person in a renewed way? Take a moment to think on this.