Beyond Pumpkin Spice—Entering November with Open Eyes: Seeing Humanity the Way God Does

Okay, real talk—November is almost here, and every year, everyone starts talking about gratitude like it’s just pumpkin spice and thank-you notes. But hear me out—I want to hit you with a different vibe this year. What if gratitude wasn’t just about the cute stuff in your life—the TikToks that make you snort-laugh, the cozy hoodie you basically live in, or that chef’s kiss hot chocolate that fixes a Monday meltdown—but instead, about seeing humanity differently?

Literally. Every person you scroll past, every human you bump into, swipe past, or side-eye in the hallway—they’re all someone’s child. Yep, even the messy, dramatic, rude, or totally extra ones. They’re somebody’s baby. Somebody’s child. And when you start seeing people that way, something wild happens: your heart softens, your judgment chills out, and you start noticing the love God has stitched into everyone—even the ones who drive you bananas.

So today? We’re gonna unpack gratitude in a whole new way: seeing the world through God’s eyes, noticing the humanity in everyone around us, and letting that perspective flip the way we think about thankfulness this November. This episode?

It’s all about rewiring how we see the world, so we can enter November not just “grateful” in the Instagram-y, hashtags-and-smiley-face way, but really grateful—eyes wide open, hearts awake, and full of appreciation for the messy, amazing, complicated, human world God made.

Alright, here’s the tea. So many of us approach gratitude like a checklist: “I’m thankful for my dog. I’m thankful for pizza. I’m thankful for… whatever.” And don’t get me wrong—those are awesome. But what if we leveled up and saw all people as worthy of gratitude? Not because they’re perfect, but because God sees them as His kids?

Here’s the wild part: when we see others as God sees them, even the ones who’ve hurt us, disappointed us, or straight-up irritate us, our hearts start to expand. Compassion grows. Judgment shrinks. And suddenly, we’re looking at the world like God does—not in a naïve way, but in a way that says: every single human being has value, story, and purpose.

So picture this: I was driving home from Kansas the other day, just vibing with the road and the scenery, when Blessing Offor’s song Somebody’s Child came on.

And you guys… instantly, I was gripped. Like, stuck-in-the-passenger-seat-of-my-own-heart gripped. The intimacy of these lyrics hit me so hard:

We're all somebody's baby

We're all somebody's child (somebody's child)

We're all some kinda crazy

We're all some kinda wise

We're all full of amazing

We're all flirting with lies

We're all somebody's heartache

Somebody's can't wait

somebody's why

We're all somebody's baby

We're all somebody's child

Do you remember running?

Do you remember wild?

Do you remember wanting

Just a little more light?

And what about that falling

For the very first time?

Do you remember second chances

After crossing that line?

Literally. Every person you scroll past, every face in the hallways, every single human you encounter has a story. They’re messy, chaotic, sometimes annoying—but they are someone’s child. They’re not accidents. They’re made with purpose. They’re loved by God, deeply and fully.

And when you let that perspective shape your heart, your gratitude explodes in ways that go way beyond pumpkin spice, cozy socks, or that extra whipped cream on your hot chocolate.

So today, as we lead into November, I want us to do a little experiment together. Let’s see humanity again. Let’s see everyone as God’s child first—and let that shift the way we live, love, and give thanks.

This reality starts with remembering that God didn’t make anyone by mistake. Every person you see? Made on purpose. Loved deeply. Even the ones you don’t understand.

It reminded me of Psalm 139:13-14, where David says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex!”

That’s us. That’s them. Every flaw, every messy quirk, every chaotic part of someone’s life is seen, known, and loved by God. And imagine if we started seeing each other that way.

The person who cuts in line at lunch? Not just annoying—they’re God’s child. That kid posting a messy, dramatic story on TikTok? Not just extra—they’re loved. Even your sibling who stole your charger again—yep, God sees them. And Karen in math class who yells at the teacher? God sees her, too. Yes, even that TikTok queen with the messy bun and sass. Every single one, treasured, known, loved.

Colossians 3:12-14 nails this: “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another. And over all this, put on love, which binds everything together perfectly.” That’s not a suggestion.

That’s gratitude in action. Seeing humanity like God sees it, responding with love, even when it’s hard.

And here’s the wild part—1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” Gratitude isn’t about what’s easy, or what we get. It’s about seeing God at work in every messy, confusing, and beautiful life around us.

Even Jesus modeled this. Matthew 5:44-45: “Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you… so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” God’s love is inclusive. It doesn’t pick favorites. And if God sees every human that way, so can we.

Seeing people through God’s eyes changes us. It shifts our hearts from judgment to compassion, from irritation to empathy, from comparison to appreciation. And that, friends, is the heart of gratitude.

Here’s the thing—imagine scrolling through Instagram and instead of side-eyeing that viral feud, you pause and think, They’re God’s child. Their story is messy. They’re loved. Or sitting in the cafeteria and instead of rolling your eyes at the clique, you see the human behind the drama. Or even that random person in the hall looking frustrated? God loves them. You see? Gratitude starts when we notice God’s fingerprints in every life around us.

So as November rolls in, let’s try something new. Let’s enter this month with eyes wide open—seeing each person we meet not just as “someone out there” but as God’s child.

The messy, the confusing, the frustrating, even the scary ones—they’re all loved, all known, all made for a purpose. And when we start seeing the world like this, gratitude becomes natural. It’s no longer just a list. It’s a lens.

Because the truth is, y’all, if we can see people the way God does, our hearts start to overflow with thankfulness. Every encounter becomes a chance to notice His work.

Every human becomes a reminder that God is at work in ways bigger than we realize.

And suddenly, our own lives feel fuller, lighter, more grateful—not because life is perfect, but because God is good, and He’s in everything.

So let’s lock this in together: this November, let’s flex our gratitude muscles by seeing everyone as God sees them—and watch our hearts glow. Every hallway, every scroll, every group chat—it all becomes a reminder. Say it with me: They’re God’s child. They’re loved. I see them like God does.

And that, friends, is how we enter a month of true thankfulness, not just cozy sweaters and pumpkin spice, but real gratitude—full hearts, open eyes, and hearts ready to see God at work in everyone around us.