When You See What I See (Part 1)

Scripture — Luke 10:17-24 (ESV)

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

Devotion

Quite a few stories can be found about people who have mistaken treasure for something less valuable and donated it to a thrift store or threw it away. If the legend is true, one woman gave away her old computer to a recycling center only to find it was one of the first Apple computers. It was roughly a $200,000 mistake.

We are prone to mistake the real value of a treasure because we are focused on the wrapper it came in. Leaders are no less susceptible to this also. Every accomplishment or setback is a litmus test to determine their joy. Is it subjective joy? Does it need another achievement? Does it need another comparison to be maintained? Or is it objective joy? Is there an uncanny sense of settled peace that comes from having enough?

The seventy-two were sent out and returned to Jesus on a high note. It was a successful mission. There is a great sense of satisfaction when a plan comes together. These pairs of two went out with no provisions, depending on the message and mission of the Kingdom, and they came back with a great message that their work was fruitful.

The irony of their focus is that they settled for the wrapping paper instead of the gift. They could have celebrated that they were considered laborers because they went out (Luke 10:2). They could have rejoiced that they came back safely even though they were lambs among wolves (10:3). They could have celebrated that they were not alone. All the provisions they needed were there (10:1, 4, 8). They could have been elated that they would usher in the kingdom’s presence by healing others (10:8). Luke records that their celebration was not about responsibility, opportunity, provisions, or safety. They celebrated their authority. “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

If joy depends exclusively on success or authority, then responsibility or power will often be desired at the expense of the right perspective. The accomplishments were worth celebrating. We should be joyous at good things that the Lord enables us to do. Again I say, we should rejoice. The issue for the seventy-two and us is our perspective.

While we are looking at success or others’ failures; when we are looking at what is demanding what should be; when we are pressing upon metrics to perform in a broken world where the Kingdom has already come but is also “not yet”—our perspective is focused on the wrapper of the gift. Jesus reminded these seventy-two leaders that for every good thing you can find, Jesus can find something better. You see a success program, a banner quarter, a new position, a dismissed hassle; and Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall like lightning.”

It is good to focus on what Jesus sees, Jesus told these seventy-two barely trained disciples on mission that position and power aren’t adequate for joy. But if you want impermeable joy,  you need to see what Jesus saw: “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven (10:20b)”. He saw. Their names were already written where it matters most, in the presence of God.

Leaders who are secure where their names are written have nothing to lose and nothing to gain. They resist the need to grope after accomplishment, success, or the destruction of others because they see what God sees. They are balanced in new gains or losses because they have taken the wrapper off and found the gift of having enough. They have objective joy because they see what Jesus sees. They recognize that their name is in a position only grace could provide.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Trampling on Scorpions.