I was thrilled when I clicked on our online local newspaper to find the photo I had submitted to them two days ago, posted on their front page. The Richmond News welcomes the public to send pictures taken within the city, and selects three pictures daily to publish.

I wouldn’t call myself a good photographer yet, but hopefully someday I will get there.

I do have a friend who is a great photographer. She showed me her pictures. With the use of editing tools, she was able to blur the background in her photos while bringing the object she wanted the viewer to see into sharp focus. Some of the clutter and details in the background were completely erased, avoiding distractions. The things in the background were there, but it was fuzzy, allowing the object of her focus to take center stage.

This is also the way we are meant to walk out our journey as God’s redeemed sons and daughters. Our back story is never meant to be the highlight, or the first thing people see in us. The lens of our lives must focus on Jesus daily. The eyes of those around us must be drawn immediately to the presence of God in our lives.

What made the rulers, scribes and elders conclude that the disciples had been with Jesus? They saw the background – they were unlearned and ignorant men – but their focus zoomed on “they had been with Jesus”. Why? Because they were living out their vision, doing God’s work.

The only way we can get others to see Jesus in us, is for US to focus on Him. It is so easy to get caught up in the details of our past, our mess and pain. It is easy to ‘wow’ people with what we have been through or are going through. It is tempting to nudge the Lord aside and have our ministries, good works and church programs share the stage with Him.

When our stories are all about what God did for us, it remains another good story, but when we walk in what God did IN us, then it becomes a testimony that God uses to draw people to Him. The only way people turn to Christ is when we lift up the name of Jesus and focus the lens solely on Him and His goodness, His power to heal and restore.

This does not mean we ignore or pretend that there aren’t unanswered prayers in our lives, but when we lift up Jesus in the middle of all the mess, we truly bring Him glory and in so doing, we receive our own breakthroughs.

What do others see when they look at us? What you see in you will be what they see.

Follow your vision with a tenacity that forces other things to fall in line behind your God given vision. Don’t wait for the background details to be tied up in a neat little bow before you say “I’m ready”.

May the Lord change our focus from the waves at our feet to His outstretched hand, inviting us to walk on water towards Him.

In His Service,

Sohani Faria
Director
Sound of the Lord Mission