What Should You See?

By Tom Moore

There is a story of a beggar who was sitting across the street from an artist’s studio. The artist saw him and thought he would make an interesting portrait study. So, from a distance he painted the defeated man whose shoulders drooped, and whose eyes were downcast and sad. When he was finished, he took the portrait over to the beggar so he could look at it. “Who is that?” the beggar questioned. The painting bore a slight resemblance to himself, but in the painting before him he saw a person of dignity, with squared shoulders and bright uplifted eyes, almost handsome. He asked the artist, “Is that me? I don’t look like that.” But the artist replied, “But that is the person I see in you.”

Hidden in all of us is potential. We have the ability to perform great accomplishments and opportunities to make a difference. But our greatest potential of all is described by John: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:1-3). There is the amazing potential in all to be called the sons of God and to be like Jesus. We can approach this spiritual potential through our obedience to the commands of God (Heb. 5:9). Perhaps you see failure—but God sees potential! What should you see?

- Tom Moore preaches for the Avenue T church of Christ in Temple, TX. Tom is also one of the editors of “Seek Ye First,” a free quarterly gospel journal. He may be contacted through the congregation’s website: www.avenuetchurchofchrist.com