Thoughts: Hannah's Blog

My eyes are very sensitive to bright light, I immediately start squinting when I go out in the bright sun, or when they point those bright lights on our faces whenever they take videos/photos during weddings. I have difficulty keeping my eyes open in studios when they try to take passport size photos, they start tearing.

Recently, I purchased these polarized sunglasses, for wearing during travels. It was so comforting to the eyes. It not just reduces the glare, but also makes images appear sharper and clearer, increasing visual clarity. It was like a whole different perspective.

Sometimes we need such glasses to see people with. On the outside, they may be grumpy or criticising or sharp – like the sandpaper people, but on the inside they could be this soft,  sad or hurting people who is need of our kindness and comfort.

In the Bible, we see many times Jesus saw the crowd and had compassion on them, so he healed the sick. They were like sheep without a shepherd, so he taught them many things. (Mark 6: 34) How nice it is for us when God sees us with compassion on what our need is and meets us at the point of our need.

As imitators of Christ, we are called to see people with compassion, understand their needs and touch them with the love with which we have been touched. It might be just listening to what they say, offering words of comfort when they are going through a difficult time, having restraint when they lash out, being patient, ignoring their insults, extending forgiveness, could be anything! just that we respond with kindness to whatever the sandpaper people in our lives do.

as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. – Colossians 3:12

It’s not easy by our own human strength, but with God’s help, we can do it. So next time you see someone wearing sunglasses or you take up your sunglasses to wear, remember to see others with compassion.