Dr. Robert W. Odom
Several years ago, I finally broke down and went to the eye doctor to check my eyes. I had been struggling a bit with my vision. For example, as I approached a road sign, the signs needed to be right in front of me before I could read them. After a few weeks, I received the glasses and put them on. I could not believe the difference. Things looked crisp and clear; amazingly, I could read the signs down the road, before they were almost on top of me.
When we try to follow Christ and be obedient to His will and His ways, we, too, need to have the proper lens. Last week, a pastor friend said that Jesus should not be on our list of things to do or on the priority list of our lives. You know how it goes: Jesus first, then family, work, etc. He went on to say that Jesus should not be on a list. He should be the transformative lens through which we see everything. Replacing Him with other things is too easy if He is on a list. But if we see all things through the lens of Christ, we will be different and see things in much crisper and undiluted ways. This does not mean life will always be easy, but we will focus on the right things while feeling hopeful and inspired.
When we view everything through the lens of Christ, our actions and decisions in every aspect of life undergo a profound change. Our interactions with others become infused with more compassion and respect. Our work ethic and integrity are elevated. Our relationships with our family members become more loving and understanding. Even our financial dealings become more honest and fair. This transformation occurs because Jesus is not just a priority; He is everything. He is the only one who brings clarity to our lives.
This week, I learned that several organizations had to fire people because of integrity issues. What is more impressive is that those who were fired claimed to know Christ. We have heard of pastors and business leaders who have been fired for mishandling finances or the people they serve. On one side of the coin, they are great people, but in another way, they are not. Too often, it is because they do not view everything through the lens of Christ and Scripture.
Think of the person who abused another person. If they had looked through the lens of Jesus, they would have treated that person with love, respect, honor, and trust. But that does not happen when we fail to look through the lens of Christ. The lines become blurry, and compromise is easily realized.
So, what lens do you look through? Is it the lens of power, control, success, mistrust, or compromise? Is it the lens of pleasing others, fear, anxiety, or disappointment? Or do you look through the lens of Jesus, who guides and leads us in healthy ways? Remember, the choice of lens is yours. Choosing the right lens empowers you to see things clearer and from a godly perspective.
I will close with a passage that illustrates this best. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind! This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
So let me ask you,
- What is the lens that you are looking through?
- Do you prioritize Jesus, or is He the only lens you look through?
- What corrections do you need to make?
- How different would your life be if everything was viewed through the lens of Christ?
Life on the edge 