This past week we took a trip to Florida and went to the beach. There were many people around us enjoying the water and waves. One particular father was paying great attention to his baby daughter with multiple pictures and cooing noises to get her to participate with the camera.

After a while I was starting to get irritated at all his Daddy noises and thought to myself: How many pictures is this guy going to take? I had a stinky attitude which I was convicted about quite quickly. I tend to be very sensitive to sounds and crowds; somethings I need grace for as an introvert. Then I quietly heard my Heavenly Papa say: I have many snapshots of you.

I sensed His tender reminder of His fatherly love, and it shifted how I saw the man beside me. I realized how easily I get irritated with others’ actions when I’m absorbed in my own world and stretched to my limits, yet God sees from a different perspective. He sees the whole picture and the motives of our hearts.

I needed to repent not only for my attitude, but also for my narrow view of life.

This Scripture came to mind: Now we see things imperfectly, like a puzzling reflection in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. (See 1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT).

I sensed the Holy Spirit weaving a lesson about judging, perception, and intimacy. The next scripture that came to my heart was: Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes who will bring light to the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. (See 1 Corinthians 4:5, NIV)

The ESV of that Scripture says: We do not know the things now hidden in darkness. But God does completely and totally, and He know us completely and totally.

So, in conclusion, I realized that our intimacy with Him shapes and determines how we perceive and judge. As Scripture tells us, we are seeing things incomplete and not to judge things too quickly. So, it’s essential to ask the Holy Spirit and listen for His perspective and advice. God is the only one who has the full picture and in addition the many pictures of us because we are fully known by Him.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Draw us closer to Your heart in deep communion with You so that we can understand and gain Your perspective in every area of our life. Help us not to make rash judgements that are not in alignment with You about people, places or things. Grant us Your grace when we are stretched beyond our capacity to love well and help us walk in obedience to Your word and the conviction and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thank You that You know us completely and that Your actions toward us are always based and bathed in pure love.