Clear Vision
07/12/08 06:40
One thing that
irritates me in the winter is the dirt and grime of
the road. I like a clear windshield and at times, can
even be a little neurotic about it! I have a case of
windshield cleaner in the garage and I’ll
probably use it all! I like to se where I am going
and I don’t want anything obstructing my view.
But, as all us drivers know, we are heading into the
season of dirt, salt and cinder and our windshield is
the magnet for all that the road throws our way. It
amazes me to see other cars coming in the opposite
direction with their windshields covered in gunk so
thoroughly that they can barely see out. Think of how
dangerous that can be; anything can come from the
side of the road, and at fifty miles per hour, it
comes pretty fast. I know when my windshield is dirty
my peripheral vision is hindered tremendously;
it’s like driving in thick fog with your bright
lights on and all you see is the glare from your
lights. But enough about clear windshields.
What is really important is that we have clear vision as we drive through the “winter” of life. Everyone who has ever lived, is living or who will live, “drives” through life with a dirty windshield; it is because of the Fall. Our perception of things is out of proportion and life can be sorely distorted depending upon the cleanliness or filthiness of our vision. Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” He also said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
The life and conversion of St. Paul is the perfect illustration to these truths. The Bible says that Paul was a Pharisee, top in his class, bright future ahead of him and one who followed the law of God precisely to the letter. But then he met Jesus! And when he met Jesus Christ for the first time, he was blinded in his eyes. He prayed for three days and God even sent a believer to pray for him. After three days something like scales fell off his eyes and he saw the world around him in a different light –The light of God! God sent “the window cleaner” of Life into Paul’s life and the dirt and grime was washed out of his eyes. Paul no longer looked at Jesus of Nazareth in the same way. Anyone born again by the Spirit of God has had their eyes washed by the Blood of Jesus and now they can begin seeing things afresh and new for the first time.
Kathy Troccoli sings that “Everything changes – Nothing looks the same - through the eyes of love – Everything changes – When you love someone.” Blessed are your eyes for what they see and your ears, for what they hear. I tell you the truth Church; there will be many who wished that they could have seen what you see and hear what you hear. So many people are “driving’ through this life with filthy “windshields” and they don’t even know it. We try and try to give them the Gospel but it seems that they just don’t “see” it. But we should not stand amazed that they are blinded to the Truth that we know –for flesh and blood has not revealed it to us either! No, we must pray that God will meet them and confront them with Christ just as He has with us and He did with Paul. Only then will the blinders be taken away. Only then will the scales fall off. Only through the love of God can they (and we) see clearly.
Here is something you can do that proves what I have said is true: This Christmas season talk about the Christmas “spirit” and observe what perception people have of it. Those who are of God desire to keep Christ in their Christmas. Those who come from a worldly perception do not regard it as that important. Even as Christians, we must be careful not to allow the things of this world to dirty our windshields. We must continually go the Bible so that Christ can “wash our feet” with the pure water of His Word so that our vision can be clean and unhindered.
What is really important is that we have clear vision as we drive through the “winter” of life. Everyone who has ever lived, is living or who will live, “drives” through life with a dirty windshield; it is because of the Fall. Our perception of things is out of proportion and life can be sorely distorted depending upon the cleanliness or filthiness of our vision. Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” He also said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
The life and conversion of St. Paul is the perfect illustration to these truths. The Bible says that Paul was a Pharisee, top in his class, bright future ahead of him and one who followed the law of God precisely to the letter. But then he met Jesus! And when he met Jesus Christ for the first time, he was blinded in his eyes. He prayed for three days and God even sent a believer to pray for him. After three days something like scales fell off his eyes and he saw the world around him in a different light –The light of God! God sent “the window cleaner” of Life into Paul’s life and the dirt and grime was washed out of his eyes. Paul no longer looked at Jesus of Nazareth in the same way. Anyone born again by the Spirit of God has had their eyes washed by the Blood of Jesus and now they can begin seeing things afresh and new for the first time.
Kathy Troccoli sings that “Everything changes – Nothing looks the same - through the eyes of love – Everything changes – When you love someone.” Blessed are your eyes for what they see and your ears, for what they hear. I tell you the truth Church; there will be many who wished that they could have seen what you see and hear what you hear. So many people are “driving’ through this life with filthy “windshields” and they don’t even know it. We try and try to give them the Gospel but it seems that they just don’t “see” it. But we should not stand amazed that they are blinded to the Truth that we know –for flesh and blood has not revealed it to us either! No, we must pray that God will meet them and confront them with Christ just as He has with us and He did with Paul. Only then will the blinders be taken away. Only then will the scales fall off. Only through the love of God can they (and we) see clearly.
Here is something you can do that proves what I have said is true: This Christmas season talk about the Christmas “spirit” and observe what perception people have of it. Those who are of God desire to keep Christ in their Christmas. Those who come from a worldly perception do not regard it as that important. Even as Christians, we must be careful not to allow the things of this world to dirty our windshields. We must continually go the Bible so that Christ can “wash our feet” with the pure water of His Word so that our vision can be clean and unhindered.
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