For over thirty years I have worn glasses. For all intents and purpose, I am blind in one eye. The optometrist told me that if anything were to happen to that eye then I would be declared legally blind. Because of this I have worn glasses not only to help me see but to protect my right eye from dust and sharp objects.
Read Mark 10:46-52. This is the story of the blind beggar whom Jesus heals. There are several valuable lessons we can take from this blind man. First, he recognized his position. All his life he had been unable to see. Up until Jesus arrived on the scene his only means of sight was thru the eyes of others. But when he saw Jesus passing by he immediately cried out for the Lord to have mercy on him. He recognized his position and realized that he no longer wanted to live in that condition. You see before we accept Jesus into our lives we are blind. We are blind to the wrong in out lives. We are unable to see the purpose of the pain in our lives. We see our fight as against our brother and our sister instead of against Satan. And just like the beggar we must ask God for mercy. He didn't try to rattle off all the good deeds he had done or try to tell the Lord how much he deserved to see. He knew his position and secondly he recognized his need for corrective vision. I can only imagine waking up every morning and opening my eyes only to see darkness, the outline of images. Feeling every ounce of pain because of my lack of sight, my sense of touch is amplified. But this is only until I put on my glasses. It's only before I pray to the Lord and tell him, 'Teacher, I want to see.'
You see it was no accident that he referred to Jesus as Teacher at this time. He realized that after a lifetime of not being able to see he would have to be taught the correct way. In the past when he asked a question about what was ahead of him, he didn't know if the person answering was telling him the truth or a lie. He had no choice but to trust what was told to him. He didn't know anything different. When he fell and cut himself and experienced pain, he couldn't look at the scar to see if the wound had healed. He could only focus on the scar. When people walked by him and made fun of him because of the way he looked, his only defense was to build up hate. He had never been able to see the good from the bad that happened in his life. But now by looking at things through the eyes of Jesus he would be able to see divine reasoning for everything. He would be able to love those that had ridiculed him for his condition. And when the sharp objects of hate, distrust, trouble, jealousy, lust and anger tried to enter his life he would be able to combat them with the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). He would be able to see God in everything. And so can you. Before you make a decision based on how you see things, take a second look thru the eyes of Jesus. Ask him to help you see the purpose in your pain. And just like the blind man, have faith that he will.
Dear Lord,
Lately I admit that things have been so rough that I am having difficulty seeing the purpose in all the pain. I start out with a little bit of faith and hope but when things seem to come one after another, it's more difficult for me to see things thru your eyes. Today I am putting on my divine glasses. Help me to see the good in people around me. Also help me to see the good in myself so that I can work to achieve the purpose you have for my life. In the most wonderful name of Jesus. Amen
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