Seeing with New Eyes

Thanks for joining us for today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading is titled Seeing with New Eyes, and it was written by Wynn Collier. A video game, one that's become a cultural phenomenon, places 100 players on a virtual island to compete, until one player remains.

Whenever a player eliminates you from the contest, you can continue to watch through that player's vantage point. As one journalist notes, when you step into another player's shoes and inhabit their point of view, the emotional register shifts from self-preservation to communal solidarity. You begin to feel invested in the stranger who, not too long ago, did you in. Transformation happens whenever we open ourselves to see another's experience, looking beyond our own vision and encountering another's pain, fear, or hopes. According to Philippians chapter 2, when we follow Jesus' example and do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, and instead, in humility, value others above ourselves, then we notice things we would have missed otherwise. Our concerns broaden.

We ask different questions. Rather than being preoccupied with only our own needs or angst, we become invested in others' well-being. Rather than looking to our own interests, we become committed to the interests of others. Rather than protecting what we assume we need to thrive, we joyfully pursue whatever helps others flourish. With this transformed vision, we gain compassion for others. We discover new ways to love our family.

We may even make a friend out of an enemy. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Philippians chapter 2, verses 1 through 5. Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, too often we only see ourselves, our pain, our need. But when we try to see the needs of others and help in any way we can, we will notice that our attention and focus gets redirected. We ask that you would help us develop an empathetic and compassionate heart to understand the pain of others and ways that we can encourage them. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.