'Let him who has eyes, see..."

[reen12]

Then Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgment,
so that those who do not see might see -
and those who do see, might become blind.’ John 9:39

I was thinking, today, of the lenses in life.

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Do we try to vignette reality?
Or do we face the hard and the harsh head-on?

Do we soften the edges for ourself - while others live on the edge?
The edge of poverty, the edge of loneliness?

The edge of despair?

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Do we live on the edge of holiness?

Do we use a wide-angle lens?.. that includes the feelings of others.
Are others even ‘in the picture?’
The affect of our words and our attitudes…
are these included in this wide-angle lens?

Or do we use a microscopic lens - on the faults of others,
while leaving the lens cap on, when studying our own faults?

Mea culpa, for I do this, too.

Are the lenses binocular? - so that we may see a distance.
Or do we use a close up lens, the better to dwell on ‘my soul’ ‘my prayer’ ‘my faith.’
Do we see the world that God has made through tinted lenses? -
thinking it worse or better - depending on the day?

Instead of that which has come from His hand?

“Let him who has eyes, see…” Jesus of Nazareth

And yet to hear these words, we need ears to listen, too.

I don’t even accept Jesus as God, and yet the words he spoke,
on given occassions, surely remain in mind.

“Let him who has eyes, see; let him who has ears, listen.”

reen12

 

[TOP]

I used to think “I live my life on the edge of a knife”. Seems more like a fork now. Tim

 

[reen12]

I used to think “I live my life on the edge of a knife”. Seems more like a fork now. Tim

It’s funny, Tim. I was thinking about ‘lenses,’ and yet ‘edges’
edged in to that thread of thought.

Years ago, I read a novel written by Edwin O’Connor,
The Edge of Sadness. [O’Connor had writen The Last Hurrah,
which was a wonderful novel.]

I suppose that one might say that edges - or tangents -
are the sometimes coinage, of human experience.

Yet Jesus was none too happy with the ‘lukewarm.’

Love God with your whole heart and mind and soul.
He is our all in all.

Maybe that’s why holy men and women cross the edge of holiness, straight into the arms of God.

reen12

 

[brigid12]

This passage in Scripture caught my attention since this is one of the Scripture readings I accidently came across this morning. I’ll need to meditate on this more today.

 

[ncjohn]

Very interesting and insightful questions Reen.

I know for me that the more I keep a laser-like focus on God instead of my little ego, the wider my lens becomes in seeing the needs of His people, the more I see the wounds of others that are just like mine. Something of a paradox that my narrow lens becomes wide at the same time.

It is at those times I can sing, from “Here I am Lord”:

I will go Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

Peace,

 

[reen12]

This passage in Scripture caught my attention since this is one of the Scripture readings I accidently came across this morning. I’ll need to meditate on this more today.

Hello, brigid12,

That particular scripture speaks muchly to me.

‘Let him who has eyes, see; let him who has ears, listen.’

It reminds me of C.S.Lewis’ essay - that treats
the problem, that a person has, when his/her most
glaring fault is so obvious to those around him/her -
yet the person themself cannot ‘hear’ what is
being hinted at, by others - and so he/she continues
not to ‘see’ this fault that is so obvious to those around them.

I think the essay was titled something like “The Trouble with…”

It’s also a good scripture in helping to develop or to maintain humility.
For when I say to myself “He/she does not see! Why is this?”

• I have to stop and ask myself what is it that I do not see?
  What is it that I’m unwillingly to hear?

Blessedly, God has patience with each of us.
He may know the source of our greatest faults,
and so He extends mercy, while asking us to do the same.

reen

 

[reen12]

Very interesting and insightful questions Reen.

I know for me that the more I keep a laser-like focus on God instead of my little ego, the wider my lens becomes in seeing the needs of His people, the more I see the wounds of others that are just like mine. Something of a paradox that my narrow lens becomes wide at the same time.

It is at those times I can sing, from “Here I am Lord”:

I will go Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
…

Something of a paradox that my narrow lens becomes wide at the same time.

God’s ways are so often puzzling and paradoxical.
The last shall be first, the younger chosen, instead of the elder.

‘I came into this world for judgment,
so that those who do not see might see -
and those who do see, might become blind.’

The capacity for sight is often spoken of, in the scriptures.

For those of us who were youngsters, in the 60’s,
Simon and Garfunkle spoke of the Sounds of Silence.

youtube.com/watch?v=YhdGkZ6Fngw

reens

 

[brigid12]

I loved that song!!! I sang a duet of that when I was in 9th grade.

On thinking further about John 9:39, it seemed to me that a way that I do not see is in all His blessings and Love and Mercy. I don’t recognize/acknowledge many of those each day. Another insight I had - from your OP is that, yes, I think I do vignette reality. I don’t think I have a clue how to stop this, either (other than, of course, prayer). It’s a family “tradition” that I don’t know how to stop.