What are you looking for?
Studying quotes from famous leaders is very interesting. This quote has some debatable history, was it Abraham Lincoln’s or a made-up quote that came from the minds of a Disney producer. Nevertheless, it works perfectly for today's writing.
“If you look for the bad in people expecting to find it, you surely will” - Abraham Lincoln.
LIncoln or Disney was right! The point here is what we are looking for we will surely find. This works in all parts of life, as we look at people, as we look at our circumstances or situations we walk through every day, we will find what we are looking for. This is one reason why I talk so much about perspective and mindsets - it’s how we see the world. We must understand how we see the world is limited; it is based on our circumstances, experiences and knowledge. If, for instance, you live in middle America, you have never gone outside of middle America, your view of the world is going to be shaped and formed by middle America. You will not have a full look at the world, and surely you will not have any ability to understand the world from the perspective of a person who lives in Nigeria, or Thailand, etc.
Continuing down a rabbit hole, this perspective game continues into the interpretation of Scripture. It’s called Hermeneutics (/ˌhɜːrməˈnjuːtɪks/) is the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially the analysis of biblical texts. Instead, hermeneutics is the art of understanding, and it’s critical to take in all the appropriate context that doesn’t come easy.
So, what on earth has taken my mind down this path this morning? Well, Paul's words in Romans 1:20.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” - Romans 1:20 NIV
What are we looking for? As we look all around, the invisible qualities of God are everywhere. The beautiful sunsets and sunrises. The glorious fruit growing on trees and bushes to the amazing birth of our children. I could go on and on, and eventually land at DNA and it’s Devine complexity. God’s invisible qualities all around us if we are looking for it.
Paul is building the foundation of the Gospel in Romans chapter 1. Here is telling the Romans that there is NO EXCUSE not to see God. He is all around us and expresses Himself to us every day. Are we looking for Him?
Let’s walk into today with eyes to see the beauty in all creation. Eyes to see the glory of our creator, and eyes to see as Jesus desires us to see. Sure, it is easy to see the evil, sin, and fallen world we live in. But lets push ourselves today to rise above that and see the beauty of Christ in all things, and may it motivate us to Worship Him!
“All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.”