Have you ever met anyone who stares right through you into
your soul? I’ve been on both sides.
“Alison, don’t read my face right now.” Why did my best
friend not wanting me reading her face? Because she knew that despite my low
vision, I could see right through the words she was saying or NOT SAYING. She
knew that I knew what she was feeling in a way that no one else did. She also
needed me to know that it wasn’t the time for us to deal with that.
That’s right. I don’t
see very well, but I read people excellently.
One of the greatest gifts of this friendship is the lack of
judgement. She can call me and tell me something extremely hard to share
because she knows she can. I feel the same way.
We can be transparent
because there is no judgement.
Shared struggles and goals can do this too. One of the
greatest communities I have the privilege to belong exists by phone and through
social media. We may not be looking at each other, but we have built up a
shared trust, intimacy, and vulnerability. We can be transparent because there
is no judgement!
We are taught to look people in the eye. Ironically, we are
also taught not to stare Looking people
in the eye reflects confidence. As teachers, we like to say “eyes on me.” That
shows us that we have their attention. Sometimes when we don’t look people in
the eye, it is because we are feeling guilt or shame
I’ve had the blessing of people staring right through me
into my soul. These people build up the good and call out the areas in my life
that need to change or be dropped. I know the gift of looking someone in the
eye and feeling the freedom to share the deepest parts of me. Why? Because there is ZERO JUDGEMENT.
Transparency allows us to be seen. Non-Judgment helps us
accept being seen. Discernment allows us to TRULY SEE
My face-reading certainly isn’t a visual skill. I have the
gift of discerning what someone else is experiencing. Do I get it right all the
time? Nope. Is everything spoken over me entirely accurate? Nope. I do know
that God has placed people in my life to look through me with the eyes of
Christ, speaking to my soul, just like Jesus Himself did and does through the
Holy Spirit!
Take some time and look people in the eye. Allow them to
look into yours.
