4 minute read
Through A Mother's Eyes
Chasing Sunsets II
BY DIANE CHEVELDAYOFF
Family traditions can lead to fun and the creation of great memories. Recently, I shared about our family adventures involving chasing sunsets (Voice of Truth, 1st Quarter 2022). Through those adventures, I learned that even while we are busy having fun and creating memories, God is at work teaching and guiding us. In your adventures, I challenge you to take time to open your eyes to see His hand at work and open your ears to hear His voice guiding you.
On one of our sunset adventures, I realized that God has much to teach us in a sunset. For example, the characteristics of a sunset parallel those of people, our children included. Just as there will never be two sunsets alike, two individuals will never be alike. And although watching a bright sunset with its contrast and glare can be hard on the eyes, when we position ourselves just right, we can better appreciate the beauty visible from each unique angle. Like a sunset, there isn’t just one angle to our children. Although the shadows and glare threaten to distort our vision, even causing the view to be painful, when we ask God to position us to see our children from His angle, He will enable us to see their beauty through His eyes, from His angle and perspective.
Admiring God’s handiwork, I noticed that the colors emanating from the evening sun were brilliant. Yet I was drawn to the vibrant colors reflecting in the water even more than those streaked throughout the sky. This phenomenon led me to recognize that just as the sky reflects in the stillness of a body of water, our own characteristics and attributes reflect in those around us. And we may or may not like what we see. Our awareness of this reflection should inspire us to examine ourselves.
As my husband and I have raced to many sunsets, we have sometimes found one that seems very common, eliciting the comment, “I’ve seen better.” However, by simply comparing one sunset to another, we realized that we unintentionally put down God’s creation. When we apply this same principle to people and how we view others or even ourselves, we must be careful never to dismiss individuals as “nothing special.” Each of God’s creations is remarkable. If we could only see ourselves and others as God does, we would see each individual as fearfully and wonderfully made. One day we will have perfect vision, as stated in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” (NLT)
And just as we patiently wait as the colors change, as they do many times throughout the sun’s journey to the base of the horizon, we also need to allow and recognize that people change over their journey. Sometimes, change will happen more quickly, but we can be assured that change will occur in every life. It requires the passage of time for the colors of a sunset to shift, and it can require patience to see the full glory of God’s beauty emerge in an individual. Along the way, we must know and acknowledge that none of us will ever arrive at perfection on this side of heaven, but if we give up on ourselves or others too early, we may just miss God’s grand display of colors as He shines through each person.
Look closer at all the colors around you. Who are you influencing with the brilliance of God’s light shining through you? How do your views, words, and actions reflect on those around you? And where do you need to ask God to reposition you, changing your view, as you patiently ask Him to show you others through His eyes? All we are and all we do paints a tapestry for those around us – let’s give God the best of us so that we reflect His view, which is as beautiful as His most glorious sunset.
Diane is a professional meeting planner with over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry - planning, contracting, and executing meetings and events worldwide. (www.ExecutiveDiamond.com) She and her husband Les have been married for over 30 years, have three beautiful adult girls, and work together in their ministry, HALO - Highway, Healing Arts Life’s Oxygen. (www.HALOHighway.com) In addition to writing for WWL, Diane also loves serving on the Leadership and Finance teams. She can be reached at Diane@ExecutiveDiamond.com or Diane@WomenWorldLeaders.com