The Oak Life Journal
Mar | Apr 2023
By Ysabel Rodriguez
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4 minute read
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“Give me Your eyes for just one second Give me Your eyes so I can see Everything that I keep missing Give me Your love for humanity.” — Brandon Heath “Give Me Your Eyes” —
When we pray prayers such as the one above, do we realize what we are praying?
Do we realize that we are giving the God of all Heaven and Earth a personal invitation to flood our vision with His light?
I remember a time that was so impactful in my orphan care journey. It was my first time being left to supervise children at an orphanage while on the playground.
One child in particular was having issues complying with the activity during that time. She began to walk away in defiance after being encouraged to stay together.
As she walked away, my first instinct was to yell louder, in the hopes this would stop her in her tracks. Then I thought to myself, “No, it would only worsen the situation.”
I thought back to what the TBRI method (Trust-Based Relational Intervention), taught us during our time at the Oak Life School of Orphan Care—you are to begin to walk towards the child, get down to their level, ask them to show you their precious eyes, and ask to do a “re-do” of the situation that just transpired.
The only problem is that all this amazing information I remembered, didn’t come to me until after the situation was over. I was so exasperated by that moment that it left me speechless.
It hurt my heart to see this child act in this way. The act of defiance felt like such a harsh rejection to me personally. It was clear that God was trying to get my attention through that moment.
Later that day, during my prayer time with the Lord, I opened up to how I was really feeling. I started to pour my heart out to God concerning what had happened earlier in the day with that child.
I remember having so many emotions. So many questions of, “Why is she acting in this way?” “Why am I feeling rejection?” Better yet, “Why does this hurt so much?”
Once I opened up with honesty to God, He began to ask me to put myself in her shoes. I began to remember how many times I have walked away from God, and how many times He has been so faithful to run after me in the hopes that I will reestablish connection with Him.
This moment in prayer humbled me so much as I realized that God was beginning to transform my vision to see what He saw. He was allowing me to feel the Father’s heart towards this precious child. My prayer changed from, “God, why is this child acting that way,” to, “God, forgive me for the moments I have acted in the same way, and help me to show your love and compassion to her just as I have received it from You.”
This should be our go to solution every single time…PRAYER. Instead of getting frustrated during these moments of difficulty, we should lift up our heads to where our help comes from, and ask for help from God.
Only then will we be able to see as He sees.
Only then will we be able to feel as He feels.
Only then will we be able to properly be conduits of His love and compassion to those around us.
Only then can we truly begin to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ on this earth.
Ysabel Rodriguez
A graduate of the Oak Life School of Orphan Care. She is a proud alumni of Valor Christian College with a degree in both Music Ministry and Missions. Her passion is to inspire others with her God-given creativity to the best of her ability.
Ysabel Rodriguez
A graduate of the Oak Life School of Orphan Care. She is a proud alumni of Valor Christian College with a degree in both Music Ministry and Missions. Her passion is to inspire others with her God-given creativity to the best of her ability.
