God looks at his people with compassion.

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“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.”
Psalm 33:18-19 English Standard Version

Is this Macaw’s eye accusing you, or comforting you?

Tracy Aviary, Salt Lake City, Utah

We know both looks, don’t we? We know when someone is giving us THE eye and when someone is giving us the EYE. That is, we recognize when people are displeased with us and we know when a person looks at us with compassion.

Some of us believe that God is always looking at us with an accusing eye, as if God has his naughty and nice list and he’s checking it twice to see which outweighs the other. We see God pointing a finger at us and saying, “Shape up or else!”

There are others of us who believe God is looking at us with an eye of compassion. Life is overwhelming and we find comfort in knowing that the eye of the Lord is on us. Our hope is in God’s steadfast love.

The psalmist was a person who saw compassion in God’s eyes. However, the psalmist also knew the power of God’s eye to bring the counsel of those who did not fear him to nothing (v. 10). God is not some being who is incapable of justice. He is a God whose justice has been satisfied in his Son.

We see the compassionate eye of God because of Jesus’ eyes which looked down from his cross and said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Standing beneath Jesus’ cross we hear those words spoken over us. We are forgiven.

Heavenly Father, we thank you that through your Son we experience your eye of compassion instead of judgment. Amen.

Text and Picture Copyright Douglas P Brauner