Seeing what God sees...

I have recently been reading a series of books called Zion Chronicles, by Bodie and Brock Thoene. I wish I could say they are enjoyable, but I’m afraid they are not. They focus on Hitler’s rise to power before World War II; not a pleasant subject to dwell on, but one that is still necessary. Reading of so much suffering has made me ache inside. And mourn. And think. Why? Because I feel so deeply that the things that happened should never have happened. Should never happen again. Yet they did. And they do.

You may know the history. In 1933, Hitler began his attempt at domination of Germany, Europe and the world. For over ten years, the world watched as he invaded, destroyed and eliminated nations and lives. And the world was complicit in his schemes! It is beyond comprehension that in the entire world, room could not be found for a few thousand or even a few hundred Jewish refugees. England, the United States, the entire world sent back ships filled with precious lives—tiny babies, beautiful little girls, rambunctious boys, young men and women just beginning life, mothers hoping to protect their little ones, fathers trying to save their children…

And we rejected them. Left them to die in the middle of an ocean, sent back to die at the hands of Hitler and the Nazis; refusing to be the shining city on a hill we were conceived to be!

And as I read and thought and mourned, I couldn’t help but wonder. . . are we still complicit in the schemes of the devil as he seeks to steal, kill and destroy the innocent creations of the Father?

There have been millions who died and continue to die through abortion. It’s a number you all know. But when you hear the number, do you think of the life? Beautiful, tiny, innocent babies, created by God to be loved, nurtured and cherished… do you see them? A baby boy with big brown eyes. A little girl with beautiful golden hair. DO YOU SEE THEM? He would have been a strong, caring person. She would have loved to help others. They should be wanted! By all of us. We should have a burning desire to love and care for them, to hold them when they cry and see them become all God intended them to be.

What about the 12 million illegal immigrants who dwell in our land? Again, we’ve heard the numbers, debated the solution. But these are not numbers! They are people. They have histories. Families. Lives. They were created to be loved. Mothers hoping for food and shelter and freedom for their children. Fathers trying to make enough money to support their families. So many, just trying to survive.

When you hear of genocide. . . do you see the mothers and fathers grieving, wailing, crying for their lost children? The little ones wandering alone, wondering where everyone and everything they have ever known has gone? Do you see the broken hearts and broken lives?

I’m not saying I know the solution to these issues that so many have dealt with. But I wonder. . . when we hear ‘abortion,’ ‘immigration,’ or ‘genocide,’ do we see only another ‘issue?’ One more ‘problem?’ Do we fail to realize that behind each problem is a story and a life? Or do we see these innocent people as human beings, created in the image of God?

I wonder. . .

If we really saw them the way God sees them, what would we do differently? Would we talk so casually about deporting immigrants? Argue over money sent to Darfur? Lament the millions of babies dead while never thinking of doing something about it? So often we throw around these terms, never thinking of the life that has been lived. The people who are real. The hurt they suffer. And never thinking of how God mourns when people suffer because we fail to care.

When I think of these things, it is not pleasant… but I don’t want this feeling to leave. I want to be so burdened that I do something worth doing! That I move others to do the same! I am praying that God will continually give me a burning passion and desire to do something to see people rescued, protected and cared for the way God tells us to! The way HE cares for and loves them! With an eternal, everlasting, never-ending, overpowering, unbelievable love! That’s the kind of love I want. And the kind of love I want to act on.

I know it will not change everything. And I know the policies and procedures still have to be dealt with. But I can’t help but think that if we tried to see people through God’s eyes, instead of problems through man’s eyes, this world might be a very different place. A place of love. And God would be in the midst of it.