We come into the world with eyes open to everything new around us. In an instant we go from dark to light and spend our first years seeing with innocent eyes. As we grow, nature and nurture create the “lenses” through which we see the world. Some are a part of our biology, our internal wiring. Others come through the time and place God ordains for us. Still others are formed out of experiences, choices, and situations often out of our control.
These lenses affect our thinking, our behavior, our emotions, and our faith. We “see” God and others through lenses that result from living in a fallen world. Because each of us is unique, we sometimes find ourselves looking at the same things but seeing very different realities. This often leads to conflict, suspicion, and misunderstanding. A relationship with God is a very private journey lived out in a very public world. If we are threatened by someone having beliefs different from ours, it can be easy to judge or dismiss them. Even worse, it can be easy to insult or ridicule them. Unless we are being personally attacked or affected by another’s beliefs, why do our differences create distance between us? What are we afraid of?
I think part of the answer has to do with our lenses. Through this blog, we will look at Catholic beliefs through a Protestant “bifocal lens.” These are the 2-in-1s that allow a viewer to see both close up and far away with a single lens. It is my most sincere hope this will help us not only see the truth more clearly but also see the value in one another’s faith. Ultimately we each will stand before God. He will not ask us if we agree with one another but He will ask us if we know Jesus. This is the grace we can anchor our souls to. If we believe Jesus is God’s son; if we believe He died in our place; if we believe He rose again and ascended into Heaven, then God sees us through the lens of His Son’s righteousness.
It took me a long time to trust this truth, but the more I trust it for myself, I trust it for others. There is freedom found in laying down our need to be right, our need to be “the same,” and our need to feel safe only among the majority. I think we understand this when it comes to being “in the world but not of it .” (John 15:19; Romans 12:2) May we also remember the world “will know we are His disciples if we have love for one another. “ (John 13:35) The spirit and intent of this blog is to promote love for one another. As we put on our “Protestant Bi-focal Lenses,” let’s remember the words of Jesus and seek to see all Believers through a lens that is anchored to grace.