Saturday, October 2, 2010

Glance or Gaze?

Have you ever seen someone a million times, but then feel like you've seen them for the first time? 

Does this ever happen to you?

Have you met someone and then later had a conversation with them and your perspective of them has been transformed? 

This happens to me all of the time. It's not that my initial thoughts of everyone are negative, rather I don't know them. 

I glance at them, I glance into their life. But it is not until I gaze into their eyes, into who they are that I see. It is through conversation that this happens. 

What is so crazy is that their appearance changes. They look different. It may be because I never really saw them, or maybe I was not looking. It may be because of preconceived notions. It may be because of a variety of different things, but what is important is that I see them.

Meeting someone is good but it is not enough. It is not until you stop and have a conversation with them that you really see them for who they are. 
Don't just glance. Gaze. See people for who they are not for how they seem, how they appear, how they come across...gaze into their soul.

This requires sacrifice. 
A glance only takes a second, but a conversation could take minutes...which could lead to days, then months, and even years. 
What is the point of meeting someone? Isn't it to know them? 
Is the sacrifice worth it?
Is it even that big of a deal?

When slowing down to see people becomes a big deal I have become to big in my own eyes and I am no longer serving my purpose in life.

Maybe it is through listening that one's perspective is changed?
Maybe it is during and after genuinely hearing someone that they can really be seen. 

I encourage you, I challenge you to listen, hear, look, see, gaze.

2 comments:

  1. Your words are so true. Thanks for the reminder and for the beautiful way that you expressed your thoughts.

    ReplyDelete
  2. this happens to me all the time! Instead of people watching, I people study. Its amazing how you can recognize someone and then not reallly know who they are. I dont know if that makes any sense at all...
    anyways- i love reading your blog because even for a moment-we're close. I can hear how you would be saying things, i can picture the concentration on your face. I <3 you sister :)

    ReplyDelete