Ever since my doctor told me that I needed to keep the blood flowing in my legs, I’ve regularly taken a walk at lunch time. I’ve found a little walkway which is shaded by trees on both sides and goes in a square which gives me the shade from the sun that I prefer when I am walking.
I will often take off my glasses and hang them on my shirt durning my walk to give my eyes a rest since I stare at a computer screen for the majority of my work day. Today was no exception. So, as I walked around I started to think about how amazing our eyes are. I can only focus fully on things no further than three feet in front of me without my glasses. Yet, I could still tell what I was seeing even though they were well beyond my focus length.
I was amazed that I could distinguish people 100-200 feet away and by they countence tell if they were reading something, texting someone or just focusing on getting from point A to point B. I could see the birds walking through the grass squabbling between each other for something I could only suppose was of value to them like food. I could see the leaves hanging overhead moving in the slight breeze of the courtyard I was walking around.
Yet, in all of this, I could not fully focus on them and I knew it. I could tell the marvelous brain which our LORD created was working overtime trying to make sense of what should be in focus. I would look at a bush and could tell the size of the leaves by the reflection of sunlight on the leaves and the various colorations. I could sense the grass that the birds were sitting in was of such a length and it wasn’t crabb grass. There were at least two pidgeons and several black mini-crow-like birds interacting. I could see and know what was before me. However, it was not in focus.
My time was up and I needed to head back to work. So, I put my glasses back on and was overwhelmed at how much detail I had been missing and had been taking for granted. Leaves had veins; there were other types of birds slightly different than what I thought I saw; the sidewalk had cracks. I had missed all that and so much more.
I also noticed that my glasses needed cleaning. It was then that I realized that a bird had made a deposit upon my shirt. Gross. All that time concentrating on what was around me and I was oblivious to bird droppings depositted upon me. They had been there for quite some time, too.
I had been marveling at God’s creation and oblivious what was truly going on around me or just in general. Then the verses of Isaiah came to me:
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. – (God speaking, Isaiah 6:9-10 KJV)
It described me fully. I was seeing what was around me while I walked, but I didn’t truly see all that was around me. I was working so hard to see how well my eyes could focus, that I was oblivious to what had made contact with me. I thought that I saw what was going around me, but when I put on my glasses, I could see so very much more – I could see clearly.
Jesus used this verse in reference to why He taught in parables:
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. – (Jesus speaking, Mark 4:10-12 KJV)
The teachings were for those who believed. The Jews often misunderstood what Jesus was saying when began to teach. They didn’t understand what he was seeing was out of focus for them. What they needed was to wear the glasses of faith. Without the glasses of faith, they took what He said in with blurry vision and were unable to understand. So, Jesus made the matter ever more foggy for them by teaching in parables. To this day, it requires faith in Jesus to even begin to understand the parables of Jesus. More clarity comes with the Holy Spirit who often reveals even more understanding of the teachings and life of Jesus.
It shouldn’t it surprise us when non-believers mis-quote or mis-state what Jesus taught. It shouldn’t make us angry when they take verses out their context. They can’t see right – they can’t focus. On the other hand, when someone proclaims that they are a Christian and they mis-quote the Bible then we must pray for a further revelation of the Word for them if they truly are a believer in Jesus Christ. We must pray that the Holy Spirit reveal to them their mistake even if we take the time to help reveal the mistake.
Regardless of others, I have come to the conclusion that while I am able to see without my glasses, I surely do not see in focus. I miss way too much. Spiritually, if I don’t see the world through the lense of the Bible and the magnifying glass of the Holy Spirit, then I miss too much once again. Only dedicated Bible study, Bible reading and prayer can resolve this blindness. It’s my hope to have the Bible as my corrective lenses fitted securely before my eyes so I can see and see clearly.
Filed under: Meditation, Ramblings
