When I was a young teen the title question was one that struck fear into my heart. I had to walk home from school and it wasn’t the best neighborhood to walk through. Often small groups of older teens would be on the sidewalk deliberately in my way- then when I looked up at them (I’m only 5′ tall) one would demand “Whatcha lookin’ at?” There was no answer I could give that wouldn’t get me beaten up- so I ignored them and just went on. Thank the Lord that a group never decided to beat on me ‘just because.’
The question is a valid one- though I’m not looking for someone to pound on! I believe that much of our emotional and spiritual health is determined by what we are looking at.
Look at Lot, Abraham’s nephew, and his attraction to the city of Sodom. When given the option of taking any part of the land, Lot chose the fertile plain and “pitched his tent even as far as Sodom.” That city had a wicked and sinful reputation- yet we find that in just a little while later Lot was a resident. And when the Lord decided to destroy the cities because of their sin, He sent in Angels or Messengers to save Lot and his family. It took work to extricate Lot from this horrid city.
Psalm 115 says that those who make idols and trusts in them becomes like them. You become that which you look at and trust in. So….Whatcha lookin’ at?
Decide what you want to be and look at the author of that. If you wish to be like Jesus – 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
Here’s the Lauren paraphrase: As we who know the Lord Jesus Christ gaze intently with purpose into the face of our beloved Savior- we then, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are being metamorphosized [distinctly and deliberately changed] into His image from awesome dimension of His person to awesome dimension of His person.
It’s not a matter of guilt or who has it right- it’s a matter of priority. So….WHATCHA LOOKIN’ AT??
Blessings in Jesus – Lauren
Excellent! I have quoted you on MannaWord.