What Do You See?

An elderly lady died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Dundee, Scotland. 
It was believed that she had left nothing of any value.  When the nurses were going through her meager possessions, they found the following poem.  I think you will agree that contrary to what was first believed, she DID leave something of tremendous value!

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?
What do you see when you’re looking at me?
I’m a small child of ten … with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who love one another.

A bride at twenty, my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.
A woman of thirty, my young now grow fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.

At forty, my children have grown and are gone,
But my man’s beside me to see I don’t mourn.
At fifty once more, babies play round my knee,
Again we know children, my husband and me.

I’m an old woman now, and nature is cruel;
'Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles; grace and vigor depart;
There is now a stone where once was a heart.

But inside this old container a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I’m loving and living life over again.

I think of the years … all too few, gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, nurses, open and see,
Not a crabby old woman; look closer … see Me!

Here are some things that WE should see when we look at another person:

• A person that is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).
  

• A sinner!  "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
  

• A sinner for whom Christ died!  "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone" (Hebrews 2:9).
  

•  A sinner that Christ wants to save!  He will save those who place their trust in God (Hebrews 11:6), repent of their sins (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), are baptized (immersed) for the forgiveness of sin (Acts 2:38), and continue to follow Him for the rest of their lives (1 John 1:7).

What do YOU see?

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695  

* Adapted

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