One of the greatest gifts we humans have is our eyesight. Not only do we have an incredible body part that shouts the glory of the brilliance of the Creator, but we actually have two eyes. These eyes are designed to work together. They are spaced so that we can have depth perception and the functioning of the eyes as they send signals back to the brain for interpretation can only leave us in awe. Anyone who has had some health troubles with their eyes readily appreciates the marvel of this gift and design. Some years ago I developed a cataract on my left eye. I soon found out why both eyes are important. In the past, I have always been a little near-sighted and had some slight astigmatism. The wonderful advances made in helping us see better enabled me to do quite well with glasses for correction - until the cataract began to take effect. Soon I was fumbling for a cup handle, stumbling over roots and rocks in the forest trails that I love, and realizing more and more that one eye was doing most of the work. Again, a medical marvel was available. An eye surgeon who prayed before each surgery had developed a new technique whereby the cataract is removed and a lens inserted in a short 15 minute operation with no stitches and no side effects. Scientists who are true scientists realize there are laws they must not break that control the human body, but working within those laws that God has set in place is possible. It defies a simple expression of words to have trouble seeing one moment and then to have 20x20 vision (at least in one eye) the next. About 15 years later I developed a cataract on the right eye and once again the same doctor restored the vision. I now have 20x20 vision in both eyes, and all I need are magnifying glasses for reading and close up work. People who can see well again remark how much they have missed with poor eyesight.
I often pause and wonder how it was that people who Jesus healed from blindness (which is much worse than cataracts) could simply walk away and not even say thank you. Not all walked away, but somehow we quickly lose appreciation for some gifts we are given. Luke 17:17,18 tells of ten who were cleansed and only one (a foreigner at that) came back to give glory to God. It would seem that anyone who had something as vital as vision restored or some major disease healed would be ever grateful and thankful. Sometimes we have other problems with vision. It is not always vision of the eyes that is affected - often it is vision of insight or of a mental kind. We have phrases such as: "you can't see the forest for the trees" or "he is looking with rose colored glasses. These phrases mean something is impairing our vision or sight. We may not recognize that fact and far too often we do not want to recognize the fact that our sight is impaired. We would rather be left alone with our misery.
In a recent study of the book of Jonah, it became apparent that Jonah had a huge "cataract" that affected his vision. He had a bias and prejudice that was so great that he would rather have died than have that vision corrected. Jonah would not or could not accept the possibility that the people of Nineveh might repent and God would not destroy them. He wanted them dead. He was to give a warning to the city but he tried to run. When God brought Jonah back to do the job by preparing a huge fish and depositing him where he could reach the city, Jonah with great reluctance gave the warning. When the city did repent, he wished he were dead (Jonah 4:3). Jonah continued to hold on to the shackles of his biases to the point that he also wished he were dead because of a plant (Jonah 4:9). I found it interesting that the book of Jonah does not give any indication that Jonah was able to rid himself of the shackles of his blindness. Did he repent? Did he see clearly once God pointed out to him what his attitude should be and that the people were helpless? The book ends with a question mark. Perhaps Jonah reflects the kind of person who is so deeply affected by his inner thoughts that he refuses to (or cannot) change.
In a recent film with the title: "An Inconvenient Truth" Al Gore, the former vice- president of the USA, made a profound statement. He said: "it is difficult for someone to believe something when his salary depends on him not believing it." That statement reflects such things as rose-colored glasses lonely people have when they seek to end their loneliness. They simply do not or will not "see" the flaws and potential dangers of the one they are courting. A person whose good income depends on him flattering the boss would find it very difficult to take a stand against that boss. There is an old story of J. Paul Getty, a very wealthy man of the early nineteen hundreds, who gathered some of his managers and proposed a move that would end in disaster. Almost every manager gave enthusiastic support (except one, the story goes) and he realized that the men were far more determined to say things that they thought would please him than to disagree and perhaps put their job on the line. Getty was a wise man.
God gives His people eyes to see and expects them to use those eyes. He even expects people to stand up against their family and closest associates if necessary (Matt. 10:35). He also entrusts them to be able to suffer pain and death if necessary in order to hold on to the truth. There are a number of references in the Scriptures to blindness that have to do with more than eyesight. Jesus was constantly hounded by the Pharisees and others who were leaders in Israel. They laid charges against Him and Jesus castigated them for their hard additions and definitions of the laws of God. Jesus stated that they were "blind" and He went on to say: "If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit" (NIV Matt. 15:14). Paul put the blame for human spiritual blindness on Satan - the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4).
In John 9:20 the story of one who was born blind is related. This boy was blind from birth and Jesus healed him so that he could see. It is quite amazing that those who were in control rejected the miracle and ridiculed him. That seems to be a parallel to so many in every generation whom God has called. We are all "born blind" spiritually, and because we are born into families of humans who also were born blind, and live in Satan's world of darkness, we need to be "healed" in a spiritual sense. Yet, we seldom admit that we are blind and many have actually come to enjoy the darkness or blindness. In the great statement of God's love for mankind (John 3:16) we immediately also read that people loved darkness and evil (verses 19,20).
Conversion includes the healing of the spiritually blind (Acts 26:18). Paul had to have his eyes opened and was given the commission to preach the gospel so that the eyes of others would be opened and they could be forgiven and sanctified. Jesus healed the physical eyes of many who came to Him with that problem - but on a greater scale and more importantly, the healing of the spiritual eyes is where true clarity lies. We do need to take care of our eyes. They are vitally necessary and precious so we may see where we are going. Good eyesight is a great blessing. We also need to take care of our spiritual eyesight once God heals that in us. Even converted followers of Jesus Christ can slip into a condition of blindness if they do not exercise care in how they conduct their lives. He advises people to repent and to follow His example closely (Rev. 3:17). He will not tolerate one whose eyes He has "healed" that steadfastly continues in blindness. Rejoice in the new eyesight God has given and use it!