The Gaze
- Gary Fritsch
- May 5
- 2 min read
"All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel." As I read this, I was trying to imagine what the face of angel would look like, or what others would interpret as the face of an angel?
Was Stephen just that good-looking? Perhaps. Did he have a great smile? Maybe. But I think the thing that they might have been seeing as angelic was the look in his eyes.
When Jesus meets a rich young man who is interested in Jesus' teaching, He instructs him in what to do, and the Gospels tell us that: "Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”" Notice how Jesus loves him by looking at him. He sees the young man for everything that God made him to be, Jesus sees him through the lens of eternity, the lens of heaven.
Stephen had that same look in his eyes and would eventually look with love on his persecutors and forgive them as they stoned him to death. Right before he does that, he looks up to heaven and sees Jesus at the right hand of God. He looks right into the very heart of love, the birthplace of love. That my friends is the gaze that we should seek.
Can we look with love on everyone we meet? (my answer: not yet) (my second answer: still trying) This is how we will build the kingdom of God, this is part of how Christians can change the world: by looking upon everyone as God does: seeing the good and the potential for good, desiring that they have every good gift (even if it is more than we have). Looking upon others with no hatred or jealousy or our own wounds and scars. If somehow we could capture that gaze!
Well, God wants us to have it - so pray for it. Practice with those who are close to you (might be an easier start). Plan for it. If you know you will encounter a person who has been challenging to you, take a few moments to think of everything good about them and let those thoughts permeate your mind before you see them. You might be surprised to see a look of love being cast back at you.
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