Seeing Life with a "God Lens"

Have you ever met someone who had a different view on life that you wished you could adopt? I’m talking about a view where they seem to see life through a “God lens.” This does not mean having rose colored glasses and seeing only the good, or seeing only the sin either. It’s where they seem to see each situation that comes at them in life as God would see it. They see the situation while having one foot on earth and one in the next world. The person sometimes says something that makes you think, “Hm…maybe they’re right and I’m not even looking at it the right way.” It makes you step back and think of that cliched term “WWJD” or “What would Jesus Do?” in a given situation.

Sometimes we are so grounded in reality that we forget to look with our “God lens.” We get busy with work or the kids or the stressors of life and forget to give ourselves a breather and a little TLC called perspective. A buffer. Now how do we help ourself with perspective you might ask. Try to think of one person who has the perspective I mentioned earlier, who sees with their “God lens.” If you spend time with them, sit back and listen to their view instead of talking. When you want to respond, instead chew on what they said. Odds are they will have some more wisdom to share anyway in the silent time you give them.

Just like the lenses in our glasses help us to see better, if we look through a spiritual lens we’ll be better equipped for what lies ahead. In today’s day and age, we do a lot of scrolling but not a lot of thinking on the things scrolled or even the interactions of the day. We need to sit back and be with God to even have the wisdom to start to see with the “God lens.”

Just yesterday my lens popped out of my glasses. How often are we going along and then our spiritual lens pops out and we allow our vision to be skewed by the world? We start seeing with “me me me” glasses or the “do what looks good” glasses instead of what is best in the given situation or how God would see a situation.

Now here’s some ways to spot the “God lens.” Here’s some things to look for in people who may see life how God would want us to see it.

1. In my experience it seems those who live with this view of life have suffered in some way. When we are brought to the cross we tend to be stripped of many things in life and it is at that low that the things of the most importance rise to the forefront. These people are able to not focus on their crosses in order to help others and be present to others and their struggles.

2. Often there is a peace about these people. They tend to speak with and have a general sense of peace and joy in their composure and this spreads to those around them. This is often tied to a special relationship with the Blessed Mother. If you see someone who fits this mold, ask if they pray to Mary. Odds are they probably do and could tell you which particular title or image of our lady they feel most drawn to. You may find a linked bracelet around their wrist for Marian Consecration or a rosary in their hand or pocket.

3. They have a wisdom where they know how to separate light and dark, good and bad. They have a good gauge of character, tend not to judge, and are articulate yet simple in what they are trying to say. When God is in the picture, the Holy Spirit acts in them in their words and actions, whether they realize it or not.

Now that we know how to spot it, what exactly does this viewpoint even mean? Here is an example. I have a coworker who sees with the “God lens.” Once she said what a big feat it is to meditate on the very fact that God trusts us. Little old me. He trusts me. Yes, despite our weaknesses and flaws, he gives us responsibilities. He gives us things in our life to steward. He gives us people to take care of. No strings attached. He does not say, “I will give you a child if…” He says “I trust you.” In a world where trust is hard to keep and hard to give sometimes, we have a God who knows us like the back of our hand. He knows the number of hairs on our head. He knows what makes us squirm and what makes our heart the happiest. He trusts little old you. He does. Even when you wouldn’t trust you. He loves you and that surpasses all. When people give up on you, he never does. That thief on the cross next to Jesus that squeezed his way into Heaven? Yep, he saw his heart and allowed him in. Mercy. Jesus’ blood poured out for us on that cross is unending mercy pouring on our wounds to heal and sanctify us daily. Each day he is with us and there to say, “I Trust You.” If we are weak human beings, cannot we put our trust in the Maker of the Universe and say back, “Jesus, I trust in you?”

In those little moments of fear, terror, uncertainty, cannot we but think of the God who entrusts much in our care and says I trust you with this and respond back that we trust in his trust? This would mean trusting ourselves since he first trusted us. Loving others including ourselves because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

A favorite quote of mine is from St. Mother Teresa. She said, “I know God won’t give me more than I can handle, but I wish he wouldn’t trust me so much.”

This little saint went for 50 years without feeling God’s presence. This “Dark Night of the Soul” was a time when she was in isolation and loneliness without feeling or knowing that God was there. She still kept serving. Kept witnessing. Kept seeing Jesus in every person she served. She was a “pencil in his hand” as she said. She knew that whatever was done to the least of God’s children, was done to Him, as Scripture says. She poured her soul out for the littlest and poorest ones, the poor in spirit and body.

I’ve had the privilege of working closely with some of Mother Teresa’s religious community. They too see with spiritual eyes, or the “God lens.” Everything in life comes down to a deeper trust and surrender to their Beloved Spouse, the Lord. Religious sisters in general see with this “God lens.” I have seen plenty of Dominicans, active and contemplative, who see with this view. Or the Franciscan TOR sisters who helped me find my calling. Or many holy priests I’ve met. But this is not just a view to have in life if you’re a religious; many lay people I have met have this gift too.

They wouldn’t say they have any special “God lens” though is the catch. Most don’t know they’re doing it. They’re just going about their way, saying what comes to mind, but to us, there’s a hint of “out of this world” to it. Their responses seem to not make sense always with modern day. The responses seem be with a laser focus on Heaven and only getting there. Their choices don’t always reflect how us world-walkers tend to make decisions.

I am reminded of St. Philip Neri’s song he taught to the kiddos in the movie on his life where the kids sing, “Preferisco il Paradiso” in Italian or “I Prefer Heaven.” Or perhaps the song by Building 429 that goes “Take this world and give me Jesus. This is not where I belong.” If we know we are “wayfaring strangers” like the Hillbilly Thomists’ song, we have the right perspective for whatever life may bring us. We’re traveling on this road, one day to meet in Paradise.

Lastly, this friend of mine with the “God lens” told me she met a girl once and they had something in common, the particular wound of losing a father very young. My friend told me how God continued to bring people in her life who had this particular wound and they could be buddies together. This young girl, upon finding out that my friend too had lost her father young, said that she knew there was something special about her when she met her.

In this friend of mine, I too found someone who could relate to something that is very unique to me: my having been in monastic life. From the stories I shared, I could tell she was a listening ear who understood the path I took. There was something about it that she understood in the core of her being. Perhaps from her being friends with religious or working in church life for so long, she listened and understood. She was a little listening ear not just to me but she was a little angel to so many in the parish, so we will call her Angelica. Angelica just had her last day at the parish and we will miss her. Hopefully whoever replaces her will also have this special “God lens” view of the world.

Lord, help us to foster a “God lens” view of life that ultimately comes from knowing you more and more each day. Jesus, I trust in you. Amen.