How to see people through God's eyes Part 2/3.

What value does God place on each human life?

The LORD looks at the heart

We now consider what value the Lord places on each human life both

according to Scripture and also in C. S. Lewis’ 'The Four Loves'

A. Humanity Bears the Image of God

Genesis 1:26 (KJV)

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…”

The value of humanity begins in creation.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” — Genesis 1:26 (KJV)

Every human being possesses dignity because mankind was created in the image of God.

This applies to:

•             The rich and poor

•             The weak and strong

•             The elderly and the unborn

•             The righteous and the sinner

•             Every race and nation

People are not accidents of biology. They are eternal souls.

The world measures value by:

•             Wealth

•             Beauty

•             Intelligence

•             Achievement

•             Power

•             Social status

But God measures value by eternal reality.

Jesus asked:

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” — Matthew 16:26 (KJV)

One soul is worth more than the entire world!

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B. The Cross Reveals Human Worth

1 Peter 1:18–19 (KJV)

“Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold… But with the precious blood of Christ…”

The value of something is shown by the price paid for it.

God valued humanity so greatly that Christ shed His blood for sinners.

“Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold… But with the precious blood of Christ.” — 1 Peter 1:18–19 (KJV)

The cross reveals both:

•             The seriousness of sin

•             The immeasurable value God places upon souls

No one is insignificant to God.

Jesus sought:

•             The leper

•             The outcast

•             The tax collector

•             The Samaritan woman

•             The thief on the cross

He saw eternal value where others saw rejection.

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C. S. Lewis, author of ''The Four Loves”  identified four categories of love from the Greek that help explain both the beauty and limitations of human affection.

Lewis describes four categories of love as follows:

1. Storge — Affection

This is natural affection:

•             Family love

•             Familiarity

•             Tenderness

•             Everyday care

This love can be beautiful, but also possessive or controlling when corrupted by selfishness.

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2. Philia — Friendship

Friendship is companionship built around shared vision, interest, or purpose.

Lewis considered friendship one of life’s great gifts because it unites people around truth and common pursuit.

Biblically, David and Jonathan illustrate deep covenant friendship.

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3. Eros — Romantic Love

This refers to romantic and marital love.

God created marriage as sacred and good.

Yet Lewis warns that romantic love becomes destructive when idolised or detached from God.

Human love was never designed to replace God.

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4. Agape — Divine Love

Agape is the highest form of love.

It is:

•             Self-giving

•             Sacrificial

•             Unconditional

•             Rooted in God Himself

This is the love demonstrated by Jesus Christ.

Lewis emphasised that natural loves become dangerous when they become gods. Only divine love can purify and rightly order human loves.

Without God:

•             Affection can become manipulation

•             Friendship can become exclusion

•             Romance can become idolatry

But when surrendered to God, human loves become expressions of grace.

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D. Additional Insight From C. S. Lewis on Human Worth

C. S. Lewis also made a profound observation about the eternal value of human beings in his sermon, The Weight of Glory. He wrote that if we were to see the glory of an ordinary believer as they will one day appear in eternity, we would be strongly tempted to worship them. Lewis was not encouraging the worship of people, but emphasising the breathtaking eternal destiny prepared for redeemed humanity.

He reminded believers that we never meet a “mere mortal.” Every person we encounter is an eternal being who will exist forever either in the glory of God’s presence or separated from Him. This radically changes how Christians should treat people.

Lewis wrote:

“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.”

From God’s perspective, every soul carries eternal significance. The stranger, the weak, the difficult person, the unnoticed individual, and the broken sinner are all beings of immense eternal value. This understanding should produce humility, compassion, reverence, and deep care in how we view, speak to and treat other people.

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E. God Sees What Humans Cannot See

1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)

“For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

Human beings often judge outward appearance.

God looks deeper.

“For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)

When Samuel saw David, he overlooked him, but God saw a king.

Others saw:

•             Moses as a fugitive

•             Gideon as weak

•             Rahab as immoral

•             Peter as unstable

•             Matthew as corrupt

God saw redeemed potential.

This is how divine love sees people and is also the way we ought to see people too!

Amen

Personal Prayer

In our final Part (3) we will consider the practical steps necessary to begin to see people as God sees them.