How do you look? Remember that looking and seeing may not be the same. Do you see what is… or what you want to see… or potential? Three different ways of looking. What, to you, would be important to see – what would you want? And personally, if you looked at you – what would you see? Part of what we see depends on what we are looking for? Fame? Fortune? Prestige? And part depends on where we are looking? About you? Within you? Third is: when do we look? Only when it’s convenient?
Webster has a host of explanations/definitions about ‘look’ (which often means that the word is far more complex than we typically give it credit for) but the one I like best is: to make sure or take care. The reason I like it is that it has an intellectual component – looking is not mindless. ‘See’ has nearly the same amount of explanations/definitions. And the adjective most often used is – perceive… also requiring the intellect involvement. My point is that this is an act that requires your involvement not merely a passing ‘glance’.
2Corinthians 4:18 gives us a spiritual definition of looking: “…we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.” 5:7 continues the thought, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” This is not implying that we ignore the things that are seen but it gives a heightened reason, faith, to look beyond what is. Looking at what is requires no faith – it is. Looking with faith requires you to believe what has been written about what is rather than simply what you are seeing.
Why need a spiritual definition? A simple example will provide the purpose. You know you. You know all your warts, your selfishness, the pain you’ve caused – how can you possibly accept the fact that you are a new creation without looking at yourself with new eyes? You also have to have the faith to believe that even when you sin you can go to the Father and receive forgiveness (1John 1:9) and then pick yourself up and try anew. To look, to really see not just what is but what you can’t see can only occur spiritually.
