How Does Your Heart See?

It started out as just a story but turned into a lesson on ‘seeing differently.’

There was a young baby born, his name was Rocky. His life started out like any other young baby boy’s life, eating, sleeping, growing. But it became apparent as the years went on that there was something different about Rocky’s growth.

After a gazillion of tests, it turns out he was born with a condition called Fibrous Dysplasia, where abnormal growth or swelling of the bone occurs. The affected bones become enlarged, brittle and warped.

Rocky’s parents tried to protect him as much as possible from physical danger due to the brittleness of his bones, but they very much tried to protect him from the emotional and mental trauma that came from the looks and the taunts he would get from people due to his looks.

You can hide the disfigured body, but the face is there for all to see.

His facial bones were excessive, disfigured and well… different.

As the saying goes and in true reality some children can be very cruel. God though had given Rocky a beautiful disposition and even though hurt sometimes by the words spoken to him, on the whole went through life extremely well.

Rocky had a few good friends over the years that stayed with him all the way through childhood to early adulthood.

It happened one Saturday. He and his mates were going to the State Fair, the Exhibition with shows and rides and fireworks.

Rocky was very excited. He’d never been before. His parents always tried to include normal life activities into his life, while still protecting his physical body.

After many fun rides, eating fairy floss, ‘dagwood’ dogs and washing it down with lemonade, the boys turned a corner of the show grounds and entered the Magic arena.

Here there was going to be a Magic show. They were a bit early for the performance so turned to some activities that were lined around the walls.

Laughter spurted from the boys’ mouths as they stood in front of the “crazy” mirrors. But Rocky was silent.

Matthew, one of Rocky’s friends, noticed this and went over to see what was wrong.

Looking into the mirror, Matthew too fell silent.

There in front of him was a handsome, tall teenager. Rocky’s disfigurement, all his bone structure, with the mirrors had been moved into the “correct” place and staring back at him was a normal boy.

Matthew stood in awe and said in a whisper, “This is who you are. This is who we see on an everyday basis. Your heart, Rocky, not your appearance. A handsome, loving, kind, generous, upright, crazy fun friend!”

All the other boys noticed the silence too and went over to see what they were both looking at.

The story does not stop there but I stopped reading. Tears were in my eyes. This boy, Matthew, is just like the Father. He SEES with the FATHER’S EYES, the FATHER’S HEART, the FATHER’S LOVE.

1 Samuel 16:7 AMP

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance; but the Lord looks on the Heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 AMP

Oh, I need to see people like Matthew sees, actually like My Father sees.

Where do you need to change what and how you see people?

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Do you need to see people differently?

Where are you challenged to see as the Father’s heart sees?