In Luke 7, our Lord Jesus sits down for a meal at the home of Simon, a Pharisee. As they dine, a woman known of ill repute enters and begins to wash the Savior’s feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Taking offense, Simon begins to think, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” (Luke 7:39)

Jesus then proceeds to share a brief story about two debtors, one of which was much deeper in debt than the other. When the creditor cancelled both debts the Lord asked Simon which of the two would love the lender more. Simon correctly responds, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.”

Jesus then turns to the woman and poses the following question to Simon. “Do you see this woman?” Now, whenever the Lord asks a question you can be sure he isn’t seeking information. Rather, he is calling us to introspection. Pondering this question, we begin to see its depth as Jesus leads us to evaluate the way we see others. All Simon could see was a prostitute, really more of a thing than a person.

It is easy to look at people without seeing them. If we are not careful, we will easily objectify others and, in our spiritual myopia, view them as annoyances to be ignored, tools to be used, objects to be exploited, or threats to be avoided. Looking upon people who bear the imago Dei without concern or compassion, or without regard for the inherent dignity by which every human being is endowed by their Creator, reflects the flawed image in ourselves.

What would cause the German people to see Jews as non-persons, or slave owners to see Africans as property, or our forebears to view Native Americans as brush to be cleared from the land? It is the same malady that afflicts us all: a spiritual blindness that veils the reality of the soul’s transcendent worth so that we tend only to see a person’s race, social status, or an object to indulge our lust. When a man looks on a woman with lust, he doesn’t see a person, he sees only a body.

It is easy to look at people without seeing them. If we are not careful, we will easily objectify others and, in our spiritual myopia, view them as annoyances to be ignored, tools to be used, objects to be exploited, or threats to be avoided.

Simon’s problem is our own, and the only cure is God’s grace. Apart from that, we tend to look down on others whose outward appearance is different from our own, whose beliefs and values run counter to ours, or whose behavior or reputation is offensive to us. It was C.S. Lewis who wrote, “As long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.” And there is wisdom in the old saying, “But by the grace of God there go I.”

Seeing the depth of our own sin and the measure of God’s forgiveness helps focus our spiritual vision. It is only when we see ourselves in the light of grace that we can see others the way Jesus sees them. That’s when you see people as sheep in need of the Great Shepherd, as lepers in need of the Great Physician, as blind in need of the Light of Life. Simon looked on a woman and saw only a prostitute—what would you see? It greatly depends on how accurately you see yourself.