The Bible tells us, “Man is the image and glory of God” (1 Corinthians 11:7). Sometimes we see it, and sometimes we don’t! Sin is pretty good at obscuring God’s presence in all of us. Fortunately, the image and glory remain, all the same. Learning to see them in others is a practical skill with huge benefits.
The first step to seeing God in others is to remember that He is there. Mary Magdalene wasn’t expecting to see the risen Christ, so she didn’t recognize Him at the empty tomb (John 20:13-16). The disciples assumed Jesus was dead, and walked with a man they thought was a stranger on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32). If we expect to see God reflected in others, we are far more likely to find Him there.
The apostle Paul tells us what comes next. We are to think about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable” (Philippians 4:8). Sometimes we have to look hard to find those features!
I find that it helps to remind myself that difficult people are often hurting, struggling with things I don’t know about and perhaps can’t even imagine. The features which put us off–anger, argumentativeness, gossip, hardness of heart–are signs that these are the people who need us most.
Training ourselves to see the good in others requires practice. Here are four techniques that have helped me develop the ability to more clearly see God in others:
1. Affirm Christ.
Acknowledge His presence before you do anything else. “Lord, I know this person is your creation. Help me see you in him.”
2. Be alert!
Search out ways to uplift others. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up….” Every time we comment upon a positive aspect of another person it reminds us–and the world–of what is noble and right.
3. Look beneath the surface.
Negative traits are merely good and fruitful characteristics that have become distorted. Stubbornness, for example, is a close relative of perseverance, and aggressiveness is akin to zeal. Acknowledge the underlying strength, and ask the Lord to channel it for his purposes.
4. Be humble.
Dwight Moody once remarked, “I have had more trouble with myself than with any other man I have ever met.” Part of the reason people get on our nerves is because we recognize something about them in ourselves. We are less likely to label others when we admit that we, too, fall short. As the Apostle Paul says, “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing (Romans 7:19).
So look for God–and good–in others. And pray they will see the same things in you!
