There are so many clichés about ‘seeing,’ but how often do we think about how we are reflected in the eyes of others? What do they see when they look at us?

How do our eyes reflect our love? Our friendship? Our compassion? Our purpose? Our passion? Our orneriness? Or even our hate?

There are many that know the ornery gleen my eyes can take on…can’t hide much there!

And not everyone is going to be honest with you about how they see you, and you cannot control that…what you can control is what reflection you hope they see.

Many times after a mission trip, I will get people pointing out a photo that gets put out, and they say, “That is the real Stephanie. You are in your ‘mission’ element where you are supposed to be.” Generally in those photos I have a relaxed look in the midst of chaos, because I know without a doubt that God’s got everything under control and I’m just being obedient by being present.

But I am guilty of be absorbed by so many other things at home. I get lost in the midst of the shiny objects surrounding me.

Last year after coming back from Haiti, I was not lost. I was very much in tuned with God, who I am and where he was leading me. I love the photo of my sunglasses, because I am looking out over Port-au-Prince from the Baptist Mission on top of the mountain and Haiti is reflected in my sunglasses. I remember so many things running through my head in that moment. I keep going back to that first post after we got back because I need to remember exactly where God was working on me.

I know exactly what people saw in my eyes when I got back from Haiti. They saw fight. They saw compassion. They saw extreme love. They saw me ripped raw by the Holy Spirit, and built back together by the compassionate heart of Christ.

But recently, my eyes have lost their luster. My vision is short-sighted. I’ve lost will to fight. I want to throw in the towel.

But that is not what God wants people to see in my eyes. He wants me to reflect his love, his grace and his message. If people are not seeing God reflected my eyes…then they are not seeing the woman he created.

So here’s to Lent. A time to restore yourself to God. A time to fast. A time to prepare. A time to work for God’s justice. A time for others to see God reflected in your eyes.