Many times, it becomes really easy to look at people through the lens of our own perceptions, judgments, and expectations and come to a conclusion about who they are and their future. Even though we know we’re not supposed to judge others, we do so anyway, but redefine it as a “fruit inspector,” “weighing against the Word or scriptures,” or some other justification of our conclusions. Even if a person is not living according to who they say they are, it is more Christian-like to empathize with them because they’re not fulfilling their divine potential and choose to become a “helper” rather than their judge. People do what they do for different reasons and we all have a story, a challenge, a struggle, a thorn! Some of us have found deliverance and was able to break certain chains through the power of Jesus and some of us are still struggling.

Nevertheless, we need to see each other through God’s eyes not our own.

Many years ago, I was engaged in intercessory prayer for the ministry in which I was a leader at the time. One of the groups we often prayed for, quite naturally, was the leadership. As I was praying for the leaders one-by-one, I came across one leader who I really didn’t know what to say because that person’s behavior was so ungodly in a certain area that everyone who knew about it didn’t even have to go to the scriptures to check it out. It was even immoral in society. Well, as I begin to pray for this person by first placing their situation before God, I felt a strong quickening in my spirit and the pain of that person’s challenges hit me in a way I had never felt before. (I know for some of you, this may seem far out, but this truly was my experience). For the first time, I “felt” this person’s struggle and my prayer immediately became focused and fervent. I went into warrior mode! I spoke against the attack that was on their life and the root that stemmed from childhood. Every scripture I could think of that claimed deliverance over God’s people, I spoke it.

Today, I’m not sure if this person was delivered from this particular struggle because the person’s potential became the focus for me. However, I knew from that point on I wanted to see people through God’s eyes and not my own or society’s expectations. I wanted to see people through their God-given potential, their gifts and talents designed for the Kingdom of God, and the blessings they were sent into the earth to receive and be for others. Today, it’s not that I don’t see people’s challenges, but those challenges won’t derail the person’s destiny if they stay faithful. Since scripture says “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, KJV), I now see people as a work in progress that God is blessings and will cause to do great works if we continue to encourage and empower them. Today, I pray against the strategies and tactics designed to thwart their divine destiny. I pray for them to experience the unmerited favor of the Lord--God's grace! I pray that we all become who God designed us to be. Not in spite of our faults and failures, but in light of them. 

Challenge: Galatians 6:1 says “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.” (NIV) Let us check ourselves to see if we’re restoring people gently, or passing along the rumors of their weaknesses or challenges. God is there to help us be more like Christ by seeing the good and divine potential in others.