Facets

I decided to look up the word facet and the following three definitions describe my understanding of the word ‘facet.’ I want to share how these meanings speak to me.

Facet: –noun

The second definition of facets expresses they occur by the action of water. I think of  the Living Water. Refining comes by drinking the water – the Living Water, being purified by Christ. I love water in the form of a waterfall, flowing, seemingly living water. I also love the ocean and I live less than an hour from the coast. The ocean is a ceaseless flow of water, constantly moving with waves splashing on the shore. The waves change the coastline and rocks along the shore. What an awesome force, able to move or reshape the geography of the earth!  Our bodies are comprised of mostly water, from fifty-five up to seventy-five percent. I love to drink water as well. Jesus gives us a water which quenches our thirst and the well he draws from never runs dry.

“But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:14

The last definition is a lens of an arthropod. Spiders and butterflies are arthropods which is interesting to me because these are my least and most favorite species, respectively. An arthropod’s lens or eyes are complex and are constantly adjusting, which enhances their ability to have remarkable vision. Have you ever tried to capture either of these creatures? Most spiders are quick to get away from their prey and will crawl rapidly away. Butterflies are equally elusive in temperate climates. We must use a net to capture a butterfly or catch them in a vulnerable state. This definition really stood out to me. When we are in a vulnerable state, we are tempted to look to the things of this world for comfort instead of God. If we are using our own vision to see things and people around us, we might be slow to respond and be captured by the things of this world. If we are looking through the eyes of God, which encompass everything and looks on the heart, we will stay on the path he desires for us and richly bless us.

Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. 2 Corinthians 5:16-19 (The Message)

“Because of this decision” – the decision to follow Christ with a sincere heart gives us a glorious outcome. A decision is a resolution reached. We resolve ourselves to follow God and resolve is having a firmness of purpose. A decision leads to a resolution of our lives, and that resolution is eternal life when we believe on Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we follow with our whole heart, we acquire purpose. I believe that purpose is to look at others through the eyes of God. When we have the eyesight of God and see with his vision, we will learn to evaluate circumstances and people differently than with our own limited mind. We will have more compassion on others and not be judgmental. We gain his vision by studying his Word, the Bible.