How Do I View Others – Looking Up – Looking Down – Or, Eye to Eye?

I am a tall woman, a full 5’10” to be exact. Life looks kind of different from up here.

Truly, your perspective on life is altered based on whether you look people eye to eye, or peer down at them from tall and lofty heights, or look at people from down below.

Height was not a physical attribute I delighted in growing up. When you’re the tallest person in your class in jr. high and high school, boy or girl, my height made me feel uncomfortable. Gawky. Which wasn’t helped by my excessively thin arms and legs. I might be the only person who lied and added weight for a high school sports team roster.

There were advantages that came with my tallness – a sports advantage being top of the list.

It was a glorious thing to spike a volleyball while jumping into the air, my 5’10” frame sending that round white ball smashing to the floor at the opponent’s feet. Also, standing at the net during a tennis match those lanky arms and legs could stretch themselves out and effectively block many of the fuzzy yellow tennis balls trying to sail past me. Advantage – me!

How you and I look at others is important. It effects our treatment of them and our openess to befriending them.

There are some folk we approach with a view from down under.

To see them we must look up. Way up. These are people we are intimidated by – we see them as a threat – or someone with a competitive edge – perhaps, they have something we don’t have, but want.

There are others we may look down on.

I wish it weren’t so. It might be due to their financial status, or their social standing, or their philosophical viewpoint, but, somehow you look at those folks from a high and lofty place, and, you’re looking down.

Probably the healthiest viewpoint of others is eye to eye.

A straight across view. No sore shoulder muscles with this viewpoint.

This view is where friendships grow best. A place where we walk side by side – companionably. No neck muscle strain or stress from looking up or down.

I cherish my eye level people.

Ones I don’t feel the need to impress. Ones I trust and respect their viewpoints, even if they’re different from mine.

Truthfully, I want to live eye to eye with all people.

I want others to look at me eye level, too.

I don’t want the neck strain and gut level pain of trying to measure up to others – or the painful pressure of comparison and the all familiar feeling of ‘not enough’. Enough, already!

You and I get to choose how we view others.

You and I’ve got this. We own this ground.

You and I can have right vision – true vision – vision to see others with proper lenses. Not the lens of comparison – nor the lens of over magnification – but the lens of clarity.

 

‘May we see each other through God’s eyes‘.

Those words were part of my husband and my wedding vows some 29 years ago.

Seeing others with God’s eyes –

• Eyes of grace
• Eyes of truth
• Eyes of love

I’ve left quite a few people sitting on the platform of perfection, or wallowing below me in the pit of criticism. I’ll be honest, I’ve got quite a bit of space for eye level people.

I need to take some people off the pedestal of awe and move them to a level place. Other people I need to move up – stop the critical stares and instead honor them and treat them as God does. One of a kind. Treasures.

I need to exchange my wrong expectations – my glasses of comparison and criticism – for healthy lenses – glasses of grace.

Lord, give me eyes to see and a heart open to love. Fill the empty spaces in my life with eye level people. Give me new vision and special lenses of love.

Linking up with Holley’s Coffeeforyourheart,  Lyli’s FaithonFire