It was early in my career of working with people, “who just happened to have a disability,’ that I learned this fundamental principle, “the heart has eyes.” What we think we see will shape what we think & usually do.

Set the stage. Over my 30 years of being in and around people with developmental disabilities I have observed few if any have the attributes the world’s culture considers valuable. Many people respond with pity because they cannot imagine themselves in that situation. Yet never, never did I find this to be true of the wonderful folks I was with. They desired respect, love, an opportunity and hopefully a relationship.

As the Director of a small start-up adult program for people with developmental disabilities we were seeking to hire a teacher’s aide. Because a resume’ & an interview only reveal part of a person, I added a step that would reveal the applicant’s heart. While people were waiting for the interview, I had them wait in an area with our clients to observe the applicant’s behavior & responses. I wanted to know who initiated the conversation? Did the applicant show interest & respect to the person? Did the applicant see opportunity for the person? Did the applicant mention this experience during the interview? This was the test of the heart. I can teach technique & skills…I can’t teach love & respect.

The world sees people for what they have, what they look like, where they are from, what they can do for them and the person’s power & prestige. None of the attributes mean anything to God. With God, it is about the heart. In Acts 13:22 we read God describing David, “‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.”

This goes deep into how we interact with people today. Do we see “the everyday people” the same way Jesus sees people? Jesus spoke to this serious matter in Matthew 25:42-46, “For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ “And He will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

It all begins with having the “mindset as Christ” (Phil 2:5). I’ve noticed in my study, Jesus saw possibility, value in the people…what do you see? Every day, Jesus puts us in situations just like the “job applicants” to test the condition of our heart. How will you answer Jesus on “That Day” about the people He has brought on to your daily path?