Look At Me

Look At Me. By Dawn Stanley

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
Hebrews 12:2

Have you ever tried to communicate with someone who doesn’t make eye contact? It drives me crazy! When I’m trying to talk to my husband, I will just shut down and stop talking if he’s looking all around. I don’t feel truly listened to. When my girls were misbehaving and I was straightening them out, I would often start with “look at me” ….and then the lecture. I could tell if they were being honest and were really listening. When someone I love is hurting, I want to look them straight in the eyes and tell them I love them or encourage them. It has meaning and I want the to not just hear my voice but see my heart.

When we look around, often we’re distracted. When we look a way, it can mean we aren’t taking
responsibility. When we look down, it can seem as though we feel shame or guilt. Ultimately eye contact says a lot about how feel and what we communicate. I can’t read the minds of my family members but when they look at me, I do feel like something more than words are being exchanged.

In March of last year, I was laying on a table having an ultrasound on my thyroid. I could tell something wasn’t right, the ultrasound tech wouldn’t look me in the eyes and got very quiet. I got scared! As clear as anything my friend Jesus whispered, “Everything will be ok, just look at Me.” Peace replaced fear immediately. Through the biopsy, through surgery, through a cancer diagnosis, through treatment and when I was told I had a rare variant that is aggressive and spreads, I made eye contact. Everything is ok and I do not have cancer but the eye-to-eye communication with Jesus was worth the struggle.

Hebrews 12:2 tells us to fix, look or keep our eyes on Jesus. I think He wants us to rid ourselves of distractions, focus on Him and lift our heads so that we can look Him straight in the eyes. There’s more He wants to communicate eye-to-eye. There’s an old hymn and new song that I’ve caught myself humming over the past year and I’d like to close with a few words from those songs.

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”
(Alan Jackson)
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace

"God I Look To You"
(Bethel Music)
God, I look to You, I won't be overwhelmed
Give me vision to see things like You do

God, I look to You, You're where my help comes from
Give me wisdom, You know just what to do

God, I look to You, and I won't be overwhelmed
Give me vision to see things like You do
God, I look to You, and You're where my help comes from
Give me wisdom, You know just what to do

And I will love You, Lord my strength
And I will love You, Lord my shield
And I will love You, Lord, my rock
Forever all my days, I will love You, God