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Ears to Hear and Eyes to See

"Ears to hear and eyes to see-both are gifts from the Lord." Proverbs 20:12 NLT

Life is busy. It can be exhausting and overwhelming trying to keep up with the next big thing. As moms, our calendars fill up before we can blink, and that usually means our kids' do too. It can be tough to see past ourselves and the next appointment on the calendar. It's easy to pride ourselves on our busy schedule, accomplishments, and many responsibilities as we show the world how well we can multi-task. But unfortunately, busyness is not listed as a gift from the Lord.

Ears to hear and eyes to see. Those are gifts from the Lord.

In the 80's Amy Grant had a song called "Father's Eyes" that at the age of 7 or 8,
I sang with great enthusiasm. :)
The lyrics said:
I may not be every mother's dream for her little girl.
And my face may not grace the mind of everyone in the world.
But that's alright as long as I can have one wish I pray.
When people look inside my life,
I want to hear them say,
"She's got her Father's eyes. Her Father's eyes.
Eyes that see the good in things, when good is not around.
Eyes that find a source of help, when help just can't be found.
Eyes full of compassion. They see in every pain.
Knowing what you're going through, and feeling it the same."
Just like my Father's eyes...

I want my Father's eyes. I want to see people the way He does.
I want to look past the outside and see their hearts (1 Samuel 16:7).
But, it's hard. It takes time and prayer and a lot of Jesus.

Some days I succeed...others I fail miserably.
I let fear or the world's view dictate my interactions.
Ever been there? You feel the Lord is telling you to reach out to
a certain person and you start to...but then you find 10 reasons to justify
why you just can't right now...

We decide not to listen because we aren't seeing what He sees.

We see tattered clothes, different colored skin, and big tattoos that
make some of us uneasy and fearful..
For others, it may be fancy clothes or perfect make-up
and hair that intimidate you.

But yall, whatever you see with your eyes is not who they are.
They are children of God, created by Him and for Him (Col.1:16).
They are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps.119).
And their hearts may be longing to be filled
with the love of Jesus that we can give.

Our kids are watching us. All the time.
We pray for our kids to shine a light for the Lord.
We pray for them to be kind and not be "mean girls" or bullies.
But it starts with us.

Get outside of your comfort zone.
Look and listen for those in your everyday life
who you haven't "seen" yet.
Ask them how they are doing...and genuinely care.
Listen to their answers...and follow up if you have the chance.

Pray for the Lord to help you hear and see the way He does.
And mean it.:)
Sometimes the most unlikely friendships are the greatest gifts.





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