Thought for Today
Psalm 115:5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.
Ecclesiastes 11:7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.
Mark 8:18 Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?
Luke 10:23 Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!
I just returned from a visit to one of my eye doctors. I visited the other eye doctor, my ophthalmologist, several times this past year and had cataracts removed from both eyes. This morning, I visited a retina specialist I see annually. Evidently, I have what he refers to as a ‘freckle’ on my left retina. It does not currently affect my vision; but, both doctors want me to have it monitored regularly. Good news today, there have been no changes in my retinas since the ‘freckle’ was first detected. As I left, I was told, “Come back in 2 years. Call me if you notice any changes.”
As I drove home, having had my eyes dilated, I began to think about eyes and seeing. Luckily, it is a very gray day today . . . and, given how long all eye doctors seem to keep me waiting, my eyes were pretty much back to normal and I could drive safely.
In my youth, most of the Bible verses addressing eyes and seeing did not resonate with me the way they do today. Until I was 40, I did not give my vision much attention. From 40 until about 60, I progressed from reading glasses perched on my nose to bifocals I never took off. By 60, I could appreciate my father’s oft-repeated assertion that he needed a pair of ‘sleeping’ glasses so that when he awoke, he could find his regular glasses! Dad wore trifocals. Thankfully, by the time I got to that point, technology had advanced enough for there to be progressive lenses so I did not have to deal with an aberration like trifocals.
Now, I have an appreciation for eyes and vision that I could only develop as my own vision began to fail. Without aid, I do have those eyes of which the psalmist wrote, “They have . . . eyes, but do not see.” No one has ever accused me of having a mouth and failing to speak. My proclivity for speaking has often been noted.
Jesus asked “Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?” My answers would be, “Yes” “No, not yet.” “Yes, of course.” Greta might challenge the middle answer. She suspects that I have selective hearing loss. I’m not much concerned about memory loss; I have an ample supply of Post-it® Notes. My computer, my books and my sermons are liberally decorated with reminder notes. I also have my computer remind me of appointments.
Of course, as Christians, we know that most of those Bible references are about more than literal vision. Metaphorically, eyes and seeing can remind us of understanding, accepting and internalizing the good news of the gospel message. Even the trope about eyes being the windows to the soul should be understood in terms of deeper meaning than a reference to the color of the irises or even the expressiveness of one’s countenance.
Not all Christians have a literal ‘road to Damascus’ epiphany as did the apostle Paul. Paul was literally blinded by the light of Jesus’ presence on that fateful road. For many of us, our eyes are made to see over a period of time. Our eyes are slowly opened to the realities of God’s love and God’s gift of God’s Son.
I have had a Bible as far back as I can remember. I still have the presentation Bible I was given in 1956. It has been read cover-to-cover several times. There are notes in the margins, verses underlined, verses highlighted. Although there are newer, more modern translations, this is my ‘go-to’ Bible. But, truthfully, every time I read a verse, every time I study a passage, my eyes are opened to new meanings, my ears are attuned to different messages.
Age and maturity open our eyes and ears to new meaning, to expanded meaning, to new context and texture in scripture. Through our reading and studying of the Bible, our relationship with our Creator God is broadened and deepened. Our eyes see more, our ears hear more. And, we remember God and God’s Son.
Stay safe, may your eyes see, your ears hear, and you remember to trust God,
Pastor Ray