He Sees The Good, Too

“The eyes of the LORD [are] in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Pr 15:3 AV)

Let’s not forget that God sees the good, too.  We are accustomed to focusing on our sins and failures.  But that is not all that God sees.  God does see those times when we trusted Him implicitly.  God saw those times when we served Him with a humble and a heart of joy.  God does see those times when we express gratitude for all that He has done for us.  God does see those times when we speak up for His name.  Our Father sees the bad and the good.  In Deuteronomy, the Bible tells us there were two mountain peaks upon which the children of Israel cried one to another.  Mount Ebal was the mountain of curses.  Mount Gerizim was the mountain of blessings.  Some of us pitch our tents on mount Ebal and never venture to mount Gerizim.  There are curses for faithlessness and disobedience.  But there are also blessings for faith and obedience.  Sometimes we forget that God sees and recognizes the good that we do for His glory.

More than a hundred years ago, a street kid was the bane of a community.  He would run the streets and steal whatever it was that he thought he wanted or needed.  Some of his spoils were understandable.  Stealing scraps from venders was how he survived.  A wealthy shop owner took notice.  He recorded the thefts and was waiting until the amount got so large that this young man could be charged with a felony.  He would then be sent off to prison, and all would be as it should.  In his impatience, this wealthy shop owner began to follow this young man around.  His intent was to catch him is something big.  Maybe the little urchin would take something of great value, like jewelry or a mode of transportation.  Day after day, he would follow this young man.  One day, he saw this young man going down the street with a push mower.  It was one of those manual ones.  It was probably a lawn ornament.  The young man probably took it thinking it would not be missed.  Finally, the wealthy man has something to charge the lad with.  As he was following him, he noticed something peculiar.  He would go to what seemed like a random home and mow the grass.  Out would come an elderly man or woman to thank him.  They often offered money, but he refused.  He would go a block or two, turn a corner, and then begin to cut grass at another home.  The event would play itself out afresh.  They offered money; he would refuse.  This went on the better part of a day.  Each time he cut the grass, he would refuse payment.  Upon seeing this, the wealthy man approached the boy and said that whatever he needed from his grocery store, he could help himself.  At first, all this man could see was the mischief.  In reality, the soft heart of the boy was what this man needed to see.

We hear a lot of preaching on sin.  We should.  We need it.  But we also need to hear that God sees the good that we do, too.  All our choices are not wicked ones.  There are many that please Him.  We are not so depraved that it is impossible to please the LORD.  If we are saved and yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit, there is much that we do that pleases our heavenly Father.  He does appreciate the many times we serve Him, testify of Him, learn of Him, and pray to Him.  His eyes are not so singly focused that all He sees is that which deserves correction.  There are eyes of God that run to and fro, seeking to bless and help those who humbly believe!  The eyes of God search out those whom He can bless.  The LORD is not some cold and austere tyrant seeking opportunity to make our lives miserable.  The heart of God wants to love and bless.  This means His eyes are on the good, too.  We are loved.  We are appreciated.  We are affirmed.  It is the mercy and grace of God that sees it all.  Even the good.