The Way You See The World Matters

May I  more clearly see my filters, blind spots, and biases so that I might recognize goodness, truth, and beauty beyond them. - Justin McRoberts 

This morning I read this prayer as part of my daily readings, and I kept coming back to it.  It's a simple prayer, but so incredibly profound.  I thought I would spend a few moments reflecting on it with you. 

"May I more clearly see my filters, blind spots, and biases..."

I feel like I can so easily spot the filters, blind spots, and biases in others.  It's often impossible for me to see my own, however.  I tend to feel that I am so very right about things--that the way I see the world is the right way to see it.  

But nothing could be further from the truth.  

The path to enlightenment and communion with God is not about being right.  It's about being open.  It's about letting go of the attachments we cling to that keep us from being our true selves.  

And sometimes those attachments are centered on our desire for rightness.  

Far too many people who say they follow Jesus will define themselves by what they are not.  

Jesus told a story once about an overly-certain and very pious Pharisee who was standing upright praying in the Temple.  He looked over and saw a tax collector who was face down on the ground praying for forgiveness, asking God to change him.  

The Pharisee looked at this tax collector through all of his filters, biases and blind spots, and said to himself, "I am so glad I'm not like that guy."  

For some of us, our Christian walk is merely an adventure in missing the point. 

"... so that I might recognize goodness, truth, and beauty beyond them."

The only way we will be able to see all of the things that are good, beautiful and true in the world is for us to let go of our myopic and blurry way of seeing, and adopt the clear and wide-open eyes of Christ.  

It's amazing how the way we see the world can change when we move beyond all of those old ways of seeing.  We recognize Christ in the world around us, and in the people we meet.  We see more clearly how God is making all things new, all of the time.  

And we discover the truth about who we are as well, and what God requires of us... which is to simply love God, and to love everybody.  

May this be true for you today and every day forward.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.