Seeing And Being Seen

I have been reading some very different things lately by people who are far outside of my viewpoint. It's crazy when you read a paragraph someone wrote and think, 'Huh, We have some common ground here. That is something to consider.' then you get to the next paragraph and think, 'Wow, That is straight out of crazy town fantasy land. This person must have dropped acid. How do they function in society?'

I am very aware that people, myself included, can be seduced by a lie. As a man seduction will likely come visually. Men are especially vulnerable to be seduced by what they see (or can visualize). Men see something and then the promise of actualization (having or experiencing that thing) sucks them in.

"And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, 'To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.' And Jesus answered him, 'It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.' " - Luke 4:5-8 ESV

"It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, 'Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?' " - 2 Samuel 11:2-3 ESV

Woman have different vulnerabilities. They are sensitive to how they are perceived. This next passage is so illustrative to me of the female design. A woman is caught in adultery and the powers that be see this as a perfect opportunity to trap Jesus. He preaches love and forgiveness so they think He will make a judgement that undermines their society faced with this woman and her situation. They wants to make Him look bad but He turned the table on them.

"And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.' And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.']] Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' " - John 8:7-12 ESV

He got the men to look at themselves which broke the mob mentality apart and assured the woman about how she was perceived. She was forgiven. God wasn't seeing her in a bad light. She was loved and known. Her actions mattered because she was known.

Our youth face such challenges today don't they? They must see and be seen like every generation before them and how will they respond? If they see good sane wholesome things they will have a healthy option. If they are seen through love, acceptance and forgiveness perhaps they will have more of a willingness to reject other identifications.

Maturity is so needed. Mature men know what to look at and where to look. They must have trained eyes. Mature women have a developed self-image and great appreciation for those who see others in a certain way.

No one is immune to deception except God. I seek His mind. I travel ordered pathways knowing that the wind could easily blow me around if it is given a chance to do so.

God, Please help us. Not everything we think is right or real. Shed light into those dark areas and break down the wrong presuppositions we have that leave us vulnerable to be deceived. You are the truth. You are the fountain of living waters. We need nothing else but You to satisfy our thirst. Help us. Bless us. Guide us. Show us. We put our trust in you. We look to you knowing You see us and know every part of us.

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Some We Just Avoid

"...avoid such people." - 2 Timothy 3:5b ESV

Yes. The scriptures say this in the new testament. It is a 'seek and save' age. We love and in one sense we are sent in as sheep to the slaughter but it also says that we avoid some folks. We love them and pray for them from afar.

Here is the context.

"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." - 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV

Why avoid them? They will steal your time and resources. They will add roadblocks and confusion.

The scriptures go further.

"For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth." - 2 Timothy 3:6-7 ESV

I notice that is says, '...among them...' as if these are a subset of the previous group with attributes of that group. Not all abusive people are users but all users are abusers in some way.

God died on a cross for their sins. He loves the whole world with an intensity we can't understand but at the same time, He gives warnings.

Seducers don't show all their cards until they creep into your house but the warning signs are often there.

"Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Owe no one anything, except to love each other..." - Romans 13:7-8a ESV

Often a sense of duty will seem to be present to help or continue but don't be fooled. Jesus is the Savior not us and we listen to His voice to see what role we have, if any, in someone's life.

Some folks you have to love from far away. Perhaps even through prison bars. Mercy, love and forgiveness... God has given us those things. He also has given us wisdom.

Let's be wise.

The Apostle Paul didn't start out that way. He used to be Saul. Saul was a man to avoid. God had to blind him and knock him down a few pegs before conversion happened in his life. We don't want to meddle in that process. Paul is a man I'm looking forward to meeting... not Saul. That guy can just keep on walking.

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