‍Building One Another  

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

Give the Second Glance!

Dear Friend,

The term “second glance” is often to describe how we react to someone’s appearance or apparent worth to us.

She didn’t give him a second glance. He didn’t give the cashier a second glance.

The lack of a second glance suggests the person is ordinary, of no particular value to us - not worth our eyes lingering for a second glance.

Jesus gives people- you and me - the second glance! Perhaps more accurately, Jesus engages us with his first lingering glance. He knows us for who and what we are – and yet his love for you never wavers.

Imagine when Jesus first saw the woman at the well (John 4), the paralytic lying by the Pool of Bethesda (John 5) and the woman who had bled twelve years (Luke 8). We may easily have glanced away but Jesus gave the second glance - the lingering look - and changed their lives.

Much like “people eyes,” the eyes of Jesus for people, the second glance sees beyond outward appearance. The second glance sees both the wonder and the brokenness of another person and extends the hand of encouragement with eyes of compassion that linger in that glance.

Ask our Lord to give you the gift of the second glance - the lingering look.  “See” the person in front of you, and encourage them!

Joy to you – Stan

© Copyright 2022 E. Stanley Ott

Scripture from the ESV

1. Think of moments when someone glanced at you but then looked away. How did you feel? What could that person have done to change how you felt?
2. Think of a person or persons you have glanced at but quickly moved on? What was it about them that kept your eyes moving? What is it about people that leads you to give the second glance?
3. How might the people eyes of Jesus change how you glance at people - so that in your lingering glance you become an encourager in their lives?

Photo by Melanie Kreutz on Unsplash