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During my quiet time last week, I came across a passage written by the Apostle Paul that significantly impacted how I view people. 

2 Corinthians 5:14-16 states, "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer."

When I read this, the phrase, "From now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view," stopped me in my tracks. Paul was writing about our Christian faith's unity because now we all can be lumped into one category. Jesus died for all of us. Every single one of us. After making this point, Paul goes on to say that his viewpoint on humanity has changed. He no longer had a "worldly" outlook, hinting that he began seeing humanity from a Godly perspective.

The best way to find out how God sees people is to go back and look at the ministry of Jesus. In these stories, it is quickly apparent that Jesus was things from a drastically different perspective from the religious leaders and even Jewish tradition. The gospels are full of accounts of Jesus going against the grain in how he treated those labeled as "sinners" or unclean. Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman, ate with tax collectors and sinners, healed the lepers, ministered to the poor, forgave the adulteress, and even openly challenged the religious leaders' rules. He did things differently because He saw people differently. 

Our humanity can be incredibly flawed with how we see people. We quickly judge people by their looks, money, social status, race, and sin. We spend so much time focusing on people's exterior that we rarely ever stop and look at them the way God sees them. God sees the pain in people's lives. He sees the hurts that need to be healed. He sees the wonderful beauty of the diversity in which He made humanity. God sees people for who He created them to be, not their shortcomings when they miss the mark. 

As a parent, I am determined to raise children to see people the way that God does. When the homeless man is asking for money, I want the compassion of God to rise up in them, not the judgment of humanity. When confronted by a person wrapped up in sin, I want my kids to see them through the eyes of God's love, grace, and mercy. I want my kids to see the beauty in God's creation, not get upset when someone is different than them.

We have to teach and instruct our children not to get trapped in the vicious cycle of the judgment plaguing our world. This doesn't happen naturally because we are surrounded by hate and division. From social media to the news, our society has become intolerant of those who think, look and act differently. This does not mean our children are doomed to adapt to this way of thinking.

Take the time to point your children to God's word. Talk about Jesus' actions and why he did the things he did. Why was he so focused on going against the grain? What do Jesus' actions tell us about how God sees them and the rest of humanity? Have these conversations so that you can train up your child to be a light in a dark world.