One thing I’ve learned as a fisherman: If you can see the fish they are easier to catch! I spent years fly-fishing for trout without polarized sunglasses. However, upon moving to Colorado, I came to discover that you can “sight fish” for trout, meaning you look into the stream to target a fish to cast your fly towards. Polarized sunglasses cut down on the glare coming off the water and allow you to see what’s below the surface. Very exciting—especially when an 18 inch rainbow comes into view! The ability to see clearly is not just important in fishing, it is important in life, and Jesus knew this was true.

Recently, I was in a situation where I had made a mistake in communicating. It reflected poorly on a friend and co-worker. Over a period of days, conflict ensued, and the two of us were having a difficult time. One major inhibitor to us making it through those days was our “eyesight.” We were looking at our situation through the lens of our competency or lack of competency. Our eyes, therefore, were seeing the situation as someone’s fault.

But what if we both would have chosen to look through the lens of God’s Kingdom? That lens tells us that we are both God’s children, both accepted, and both forgiven. With eyesight made clear by a Kingdom perspective we were able to forgive, embrace as people loved by the King, and co-workers in something much bigger than our own performance or insecurities!

Is there some form of glare in your own life or relationships that keeps you from seeing a situation clearly? What values or biases do you carry that distort your view of people and life?