Through the Lens

The other day I was watching Dave Gilbert look through the lens of the video camera and I wondered what he was looking for. I asked him what he saw when he looked through the lens. He mentioned a number of things, such as composition and light. Some of the concepts I understood, others I had no clue. When I look through a lens, I only see the subject. Sadly, I am a point-and-shoot kind of guy. I see a person and Dave sees so much more.

The difference reminds me of the story of Elisha, his servant, and the army of Syria. The story was told that the King of Syria was frustrated because the Israelites always knew what his plans were. When he found out that it was Elisha who was revealing the information, he sent his army to capture him. The Syrian army surrounded Elisha. Obviously, this alarmed Elisha’s servant. Elisha, on the other hand, was calm, for he saw something else. Elisha then prayed in 2 Kings 6:17, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” The servant then saw what Elisha saw. He saw the army of the Lord surrounding the army of Syria. He saw the presence of God and was comforted.

When Elisha looked through the lens of life, he saw God’s handiwork all around him. His servant was more of a point-and-shoot kind of guy. He only saw what was in front of him. The servant did not notice anything else. His eyes were only focused on the obvious.

Elisha was not the only one who had this type of vision. David saw Goliath but thought he looked puny next to God. Jesus was able to walk through life and see where His Father was already at work.

What do I see when I look through the lens? Do I see God’s beauty as the butterfly lands on the butterfly bush? Do I observe God’s handiwork when I watch a human being dance? Do I see His fingerprints when I walk through the church? When I meet someone, do I notice God’s presence?

Elsiha’s prayer comes back to my mind, O Lord, please open my eyes that I may see. I want to be able to look through the lens and see more. I want God to transform my eyes and my understanding so that I see Him not only before me but everywhere and every way.

This I am sure does not come quickly. But I do believe that with some work and a lot of prayer, I will eventually be able to look through the lens in a completely new way.

Photo by Roberto Martinez