There is no doubt that the Spirit is speaking to us about seeing and speaking. The last decade was all about seeing clearly and this next decade is about speaking clearly about what we saw clearly!
Last weekend, Dale and I taught about SIGHT at a marriage event. I am leading a small group, and our chapter was on SEEKING! All of them centering around SEEKING the right perspective (Spiritual SIGHT) so that you can respond rightly, especially with your mouth.
Last year, Dale and I first led the SIGHT conference at our annual marriage conference, Together At The Springs. One of the sessions, we taught about SEEKING the treasure, and then SPEAKING to the treasure.
In all honesty, I have been guilty of seeing the flaw, and speaking to it, much more than speaking to the treasure. If my children walked in the room with their shirt untucked or something, I would say something about that almost immediately. Or if my husband came up to me with something in his teeth, I would quickly point it out.
And yet, though I thought about how proud I am of my kids or noticed how handsome my husband looked, I still only spoke to the flaw and failed to encourage, by speaking to the treasure. It never got past my thoughts to come out of my mouth!!! Anybody else?
I have seen something similar with friendships. They may not say it to their friend’s face, but they notice their flaw, and make a judgement about them. Or, they share their friend's flaw with someone else. That’s gossip, but I will save that one for another day!!!
What if we became Spiritual Seekers? What if we started becoming “first class noticers” that actually sought out the treasure in those we know and love?
2 Corinthians 5:16 says this:
“So then, from now on, we have a new perspective that refuses to evaluate people merely by their outward appearances. For that’s how we once viewed the Anointed One, but no longer do we see Him with limited human insight."
Then, what if we took that one step further? What if after we SEEK the treasure, getting God’s perspective on people, we then begin to SPEAK to the treasures we see. I mean, God wouldn’t reveal the treasure to us about someone else unless He wanted us to relay it to them!
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says “...encourage the hearts of your fellow believers and support one another..."
What if we started calling people up
instead of calling them out?
An awesome couple that we know, came to that marriage conference on SIGHT last February, and I have enjoyed a front row seat in them putting this principle into practice.
Each week, I see Raquel post something about a treasure she sees in Simeon. It breathes so much life into their marriage and has even brought a healthy conviction to me at times!!!
I just believe that the more we elevate the treasures, the lack seems non-existent.
God has handed us a treasure map with each person we have come to know and love. Perhaps, we could exchange our "flaw" lenses for spiritual lenses, and begin calling up the treasures God reveals to us. Our world would definitely become a better place!!!
Father God, give us Your eyes to see the treasures you have put in people and urge us to take the time to use our mouths to encourage them. Holy Spirit, help our tongue be powerfully used for life. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.