When You See What I See (Part 2)

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

In the previous devotion, Jesus informed the seventy-two that, while they were celebrating their success, Jesus saw things differently. They saw demons submitting and he saw Satan falling. More importantly, he told them to rejoice that position (their names written in heaven) and not authority is where joy should reside.

What if you couldn’t do what you do? Or if you were passed up for what you believed was your next step in life? What if you have learned everything you are going to learn? Or what if you never see a productive moment moving? If you have the proverbial “fig tree does not bud” attitude of Habakkuk 3:17 there is always a difference between what you see and what Jesus sees.

Right after this conversation in Luke 10, Jesus turns to his Father and rejoices in the spirit toward the Father because he sees what the Godhead has done. First, God is patient and what God began long before has now begun to unfold. Where Isaiah is instructed to tell the Israelites to listen and not hear and see but not perceive (Isa 6:9-10), now Jesus has come making things known to whom the Father reveals it.

Second, God provided light. God gives to the “wise” nothing. Jesus said in verse 22b, “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.” Leaders can become excessively dependent on knowledge base, credentials, or achievements. But Jesus told these seventy-two that their success was because of who they belonged to. God provided light for them to recognize that the entire basis of their success was rooted in admitting they were children of God.

Third, God gave them privileges. Jesus constantly led and instructed them to think more broadly. Jesus desired leaders to recognize the origin of their joy. He encouraged them to look at where their names were written. Then he broadened their perspective to look at other leaders who came before them. While the prophets suffered, they persevered for what they would never see. Jesus turned to the seventy-two (and to us) and reminded us all in verse 23 what it means to be blessed, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!”  We have the privilege of seeing what prophets of old could only foretell. Objective joy comes from seeing things as God sees them. We have the privilege of knowing where our names are written.

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: When It Feels Risky to Talk About God.