Eye Contact

There's something about eye contact that bugs me.......

It bugs me that we don't do it anymore.

In this techno-information age, we no longer look at one another. 

Here's what I mean:

Let's say you are in an office building, walking down a hallway, and someone is walking toward you.  You have your phone in your hand, or in your pocket, the person gets closer and closer to you - what do we do?

Yep, you're right. 

We pull our phones out and start tinkering with the buttons - pretending to be checking messages, etc, generically glancing up every few seconds to measure the distance between us until we pass the person approaching.

Never making eye contact.

Avoiding the awkwardness.

There are souls behind those eyes we avoid and eye contact can be powerful.

I've heard it said you can spray an audience with eye contact.

I've heard it said that the eyes are the window to the soul.

Thoughts can be communicated with the eyes without speaking a word.  Eye contact communicates your full attention, telling the one who is speaking to you that they are important.   Eyes can sparkle with delight, they can be filled with worry, brimming with sadness.  They can portray strength and confidence.  The eyes can dance with fury.

What we do or don't do with our eyes can say a lot.

How is your eye contact?

Mine is not always so great, and since I work in one of those buildings with long hallways, I have been being more intentional about making eye contact with the people I meet along the way.

And I think it FREAKS people out!

Of course, I don't just stare them down, burning holes with my laser vision, but I look at their face and simply say, "Hello."  Their expressions are at first a bit shocked, but usually it quickly softens, a gentle smile emerges and then they return a "Hi" or a nod of the head.  I don't know why, but it makes my steps down the hall a little lighter. 

And guess what? It's not awkward at all.  It's as if it contains a pulse of refreshment within me.

What about our spiritual eye contact?  How is that?

Do we keep tinkering with things in our spirits, busying ourselves so that we never have to make eye contact with our Creator?

I think if we were honest, we would have to answer - yes, sometimes we do.  Sometimes I even busy myself with good things and avoid the real issues that He is trying to show me.  If I don't look at Him, then I don't have to deal with it.

Whatever!

I'm not going to get by with it. 

You see, He's not intimidated with awkwardness, and He's not going to avoid situations where that awkwardness might surface.  He's always looking directly into the windows of my soul, ready to communicate with me.

I've just got to quit tinkering with stuff......

Savior Jesus, forgive me for all of those times I have avoided eye contact with You busying myself so that I don't have to hear you.  Forgive me for all of those people I have ignored, never looking at them.  Those souls are important to you.  On any given day, You could be appointing me to encourage one who is downcast with a simple hello.  That one small gesture could remind that one that they are worth something.  It could remind them that they ARE noticed.  Thank You, Jesus for these words from John 4, "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest."  The hallways, corridors, and lobbies of life are all fields ripe for harvest. There are people all around who are in such need of a loving gesture.   My heart is a harvest field too, if I would but make eye contact with You more, I could see the harvest You want to bring forth from me.  The changes I say I long for, may very well be ready for harvest if I would lift my eyes to meet Yours.

Here's your challenge:  Try some eye contact today, both with others and with Him - let me know how it goes!



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