“Fresh spiritual vision can change us in an instant, but learning to look at life through Jesus’ eyes is a practice for a lifetime. We mustn’t get frustrated when we still feel blurry-eyed. . . . When it comes to seeing as Jesus sees, don’t despise the day of small beginnings. Don’t underestimate the glory of little, divine glimpses.”- Alan Wright
But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”-= Matthew 14:30-31 (ESV)
In Chapter 4 (“Toddling: Seeing Your Little Faith as Real Faith”) of Seeing as Jesus Sees, Alan Wright relates that he’s seen a bald eagle three times in his backyard. Over a period of six years. His point? That a few extraordinary days transform hundreds of ordinary days.
Therefore, Pastor “Wright exhorts, don’t despise the day of small beginnings. Because when it comes to seeing as Jesus sees, it takes time to develop eagle-eye spiritual vision. In addition, Alan asks, what does Jesus think when, like Peter on the Sea of Galilee, you take a few steps and then sink?
When the Lord said Peter had little faith, He used just one word in Greek. It’s a compound word that literally means, “little faith one.” Furthermore, Jesus often used the term to address His disciples. So, Pastor Wright concludes, what if Jesus called Peter and the disciples “Little Faith Ones” out of affection. Rather than disgust.
In conclusion, Alan cites a sermon Charles Spurgeon gave in August of 1885. In that sermon Spurgeon made this point:
“The Savior did not say, ‘O you of no faith,’ or, ‘O you of pretended faith, ‘but, ‘O you of little faith.’. . . If he does but acknowledge that it is faith, then the root of the matter is in us! I would rather have great faith that little faith, but I would rather have little faith than have great presumption and mistake it for holy confidence.”
Today’s question: How do you view learning to look at life through Jesus’ eyes as the practice of a lifetime? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Envision your sin erased”
