Sizing-Up People

A missionary friend told me this story some years ago. He said there was a godly old man in his home church, who, whenever he saw him turned away his eyes. The younger said he was sure the elder had something against him. When confronted, the senior saint explained he had been in the Second WW and had killed many young blue-eyed, blonde-headed boys like him. He said it was too painful for him to look upon him.

I have found to my own dismay, things are not generally the way I size them up to be. I am guilty of reading much more into a situation than is actually there. I’m too fast on the draw, so to speak. As a result, I’ve shot myself in the foot on more than one occasion. For example, I was once standing on the balcony of a motel looking down at the hood of my car, and I was sure I saw a big dent someone had put there. A friend standing close by, who I was trying desperately to convince, asked me to look at it from where he was standing. Needless to say, it was the sun’s reflection on that area that made it look so.

In the Gospels there is a story about a man who saw men as trees. Jesus touched his eyes, and we are told that he then saw clearly. Most of the time when judging situations, I find I need to take a second look. How about you? 

“And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.” (Isa.11:3)