If you remember the movie Avatar, with the blue people, their greeting to each other was, I see you. The meaning is not that you are standing right in front of me, of course I see you. It means, I see who you are. I recognize you as a person.

Try to “see” people the way God does.

I like that. It’s far too easy to simply acknowledge people casually, or not at all. We don’t remember that God loves them wildly — so much that He died for them. We need to see people the way He does. People have immense value to God, despite the differences we may have with each other.

Loving people is a core aspect of the kingdom. Jesus told us, Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other. (Jhn 13:35)

Once you start thinking about how much God loves everyone, you start looking at them differently. Try to see them for who they really are. You’ll start to notice jewels and treasure in them, and you’ll begin to love as we are meant to.

As busy and complicated as life can be, never forget your true calling. We are made to be in fellowship with God. It’s why we were born. Heaven is our destiny and everything we do has to be flavored with that reality.

Do all things as if you were doing them for the Lord.

Our daily events should always be done with the thought of serving the Lord. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (ICor 10:31) Work with the attitude of pleasing the people you work for and with. Jesus said when we serve others, we serve Him. It pleases Him even more when we serve those who are hard to please.

And the small things we do are as important, if not more important, than the large things. It’s the small things that prove our trust to do more. Jesus looks at them carefully. Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things. (Mat 25:21)

If your work frustrates you or people are difficult, give it to Jesus. He said He would carry the load to make it easy for us. Ask Him to give you the grace that you need to be a blessing. Everything you matters, so do it well.

God has the answers. Trust Him.

God never said it was going to be easy. Salvation is not salvation from problems, it is the blessing to go through them. When we trust God and follow His guidance, we actually avoid problem areas, but not all of them.

Living with the Holy Spirit in us helps us be unaffected by the traffic jams because patience is active in our lives. The wisdom of God is there to give us the perfect answer when everyone is stumped. Faith keeps us from losing hope when every appliance in the house blows up at the same time.

The blessings of God aren’t all about getting shiny presents. They are practical tools that help us through life with joy, no matter what happens. It doesn’t matter if the stock market crashes or you get a flat tire, God has given you the means to get through it, and show His goodness in the process.

Stay in His presence. Listen to His voice, and humbly/boldly go before His throne. When you stay connected to Him, you are prepared for everything. It may not be easy, but you will be safe. If you don’t panic, He’ll give you what you need when you need it. He’s a good God and He is with you.

Maturity in the spirit will allow you to see the world from God’s perspective. God has the ability to see everything with a wide angle lens and a telescopic lens at the same time. When we get to be friends with Him, He invites us to sit with Him and see what He sees.

God needs us to work His strategies.

When He lets you look through the wide angle lens, you see cities and nations. You see regions of pain and war. God needs people to effectively release the kingdom in troubled areas. That may mean activity in governmental realms or practical help in teaching or missions.

For every problem, God has an answer. Every one. Unfortunately, some people who are the answers don’t believe they are. They lack faith in the vision that God put inside of them, and sadly, the allow the problem to go on and get worse.

Jesus said,  Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. (Mat (9:38) Pray for those people who are uniquely qualified to do what no one else can. And if that person is you, then trust God to do what He said He would do. You’ve been given special tools for a reason. Use them and God will be with you. Miracles will follow.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (IThes 5:23)

Be healthy body, soul, and spirit.

We understanding that salvation saves our spirit man because our bodies will die. But we’re also supposed to be blameless and sanctified in our physical bodies and our minds. That goes against “spiritual” teaching that says that our bodies don’t matter, and knowledge of the world is useless to spiritual things.

Paul says that bodily exercise profits little, he didn’t say it profits nothing. Going to a conference to be touched by God and then eating a bag of cookies by yourself does not show that you’ve attained any self-control that is an aspect of the Holy Spirit. Maintaining a diet that promotes sickness and disease is ungodly by anyone’s standards.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m don’t believe in swinging to the opposite extreme of only eating raw food and carrot juice. There’s nothing wrong with that, if you like that sort of thing, but it’s not a substitute for common sense. Taking care of your body includes eating well and getting enough exercise to stay healthy. Abusing your body, then asking for prayer doesn’t honor God.

We are also called to have a sanctified mind. What we watch on TV matters. Who’s message it is to kill, steal, and destroy? It’s not God’s. So why do we promote entertainment that clearly goes against the kingdom of God?

If we don’t understand the world of politics, education, or the media, how will we affect change? Those who are blessed in the area of higher education are in a position to bring the kingdom into areas that God wants to take back. I believe there is a lot of truth to be discovered by pressing into all areas of study. A spiritual mind will hear God and learn what other’s can’t.

There is a path that God has set before us that includes living healthy with renewed minds. Body, soul, and spirit are joined together and all part of presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. (Rom 12:1) It is a form of worship to present our whole self to God. We are created in His image, so our bodies and minds matter to Him as much as our spirits.