Making Eye Contact

Have you ever avoided looking someone in the eye? Many times during the Christmas season there are people outside stores ringing their bells, wanting you to contribute some of your hard earned money to their charity. 

To avoid them, many of us formulate a path we can take so we don't have to be asked or make eye contact. You see, if you don't make eye contact, then you feel less guilty for not giving because you suppose, they don't notice you either. I've seen people navigate their way to the point where they enter the store in the complete opposite direction. Most of us view these folks as bothersome, even though their objective is simply to collect some money for a worthy charity. Like Scrooge, we inwardly moan, "bah humbug!" 

In general, less and less people today make eye contact. Most of us are so focused on what we have to do, that we don't take the time to connect and say hello. Today, people would rather look at the smart phones that look someone in the eye. However, you can learn a lot about a person by taking the time to make eye contact as this poem suggests.  

Endlessly Playing inside the eyes is a conductor whose name is reality

and if you gaze into their stare, you can feel the highs and lows of its piercing melody. 

Ferociously playing with such honest intention...there is no camouflage for the expressions of common face

Since existing within the eyes is that score conceived from within the soul. 

The Apostle Peter once encountered a man who did not look him in the eye, he was a beggar crippled from birth. "And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk! (Acts 4:5-6)."

Now, many of us will never physically heal a lame man like Peter, lets be real. However, there are some principles we learn in this Scripture that can really help us. First, it is important to make eye contact when addressing others. No doubt, this man was used to rejection. He probably expected more. Yet Peter insisted, that he look at him, just as he had looked upon this man. At the fundamental level, dialogue requires our undivided attention. 

Secondly, eye contact makes things personal. This beggar, no doubt, experienced rejection so often, which probably led to him begging on cruise control. His pleas had reached a point where they became impersonal, most likely to fend off anticipated rejection. 

Thirdly, though Peter had no money, he did give this man something, something he could share that Jesus had blessed him with in his life. Again, most of will never command a lame person to rise in the name of Jesus, but Jesus has given each of his followers something they can give back. Now that something could be some change your going to spend on yourself anyway, or it could be simply making eye contact, flashing a smile, or even having a brief conversation. 

So as December rolls out more business day by day, lets make sure to take the time and make eye contact with someone, even if it is the Salvation Army guy. Like Peter discovered, you may not have any money to give, but you can give something Jesus has blessed you with, even if it is only a joy-filled smile. In the end, taking the time to make eye contact with someone, flash a smile, or start a conversation, may be more valuable than the change they were expecting.