I Give you my eyes

Last year during my trip to Chile, my host would always talk about a Muslim friend that he had that would always tell him "Setsow" (pronounced "Serchow").  As he described it this meant, "I give you me eyes."  It expressed his friend's willingness to do anything for him no matter the cost.  I've been thinking about that a lot lately.  God wants us to have that same willingness to give up anything for others.  At a moment's notice we are to give of ourselves at any point.  Unfortunately, we have come to the conclusion that anything short of a grand gesture will be unacceptable.  That in order to serve, one must leave their country and be martyred for Christ.  This belief often forces us to the sidelines and keeps us from doing any sort of serving.  This is such a tragedy.  We have somehow looked at serving and decided that we simply don't have the gifts that are required for such an action.

Next week starts the Global Missions month at my church which is often a great time for people to hear and see what we're doing as a church around the world.  We often have guest speakers who are missionaries who serve in various countries.  Hearing their testimonies is one of the highlights of the year for me.  The passion that they have in demonstrating the love of Christ and in building up the church is such a testament to God's power in his people.  In all honesty, it fires me up, but also reminds me of my own shortcomings when it comes to serving others.

I bring that up because next Friday the worship team is putting on an "Encounter" which will serve to introduce the Global Missions month.  The theme that is being used is "Give me your eyes."  This is the title of one of my favorite songs by Brandon Heath.  It's such a powerful song about our need to open our eyes to the world around us.  He makes the observation in the song that we encounter people every day and we don't even think about it.  We're so focused on our own world that we don't see the needs in front of us.  He says, "I want a second glance, so give me a second chance to see the people the way you've seen them all along."  This is the important thing, that we begin to look around us through a new lens.  Through a lens which sees people, the hurt in their lives, and the love that God has for them.  This new perspective gives us the ability to serve in our daily lives.  From talking to the person who cleans your office to cheering up a gloomy cashier at the grocery store as she rings up your groceries.  Serving can be done in a multitude of ways and is not restrained to taking a trip to the inner city and passing out meals to the homeless.

There is of course a danger here.  By serving in our daily lives we may become complacent in other areas that need attention.  Feeding the homeless and taking care of the poor is something that is very near to the heart of God and should not be ignored.  My urging to serve in your daily lives is the first step to having a missional lifestyle.  In all that we do, we are to serve others and put others' needs in front of our own.  In 1 John 3:16, it says, "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."  At first glance it looks like John is telling his reader to die for someone else, but he elaborates further and says, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" (v.17)   He is saying here that our daily lives are to be lived in surrender to the desires and needs of others.  We are to put others before ourselves in all things.  So as we cultivate a missional life through regular day to day actions, we begin to transform ourselves and move away from the selfishness within.  We move into an others-centered life.  This is what God desires for us.  God is telling us "Setsow, I give you my eyes."  May we respond:

Give me your eyes

So I can see

Everything that I've been missing

Give me your love for humanity.