Blind as a Bat
If people can't see what God is doing,they stumble all over themselves;But when they attend to what he reveals,they are most blessed. Proverbs 29:18 (The Message)
By your words, I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. Psalm 119:105 (The Message)
Insight
The other day when I was cleaning up, I came across a box of old childhood photographs. While coming to grip with some of my questionable fashion choices and haircuts, I took a stroll down memory lane. Many of the photos brought a smile to my face, but one, in particular, stood out. It captured a bunch of my buddies and me outside a cabin while at summer camp. We were tired, exhausted, smelly, sunburnt, but having the time of our lives.
Little did I know, but a few days later, the trajectory of my life would change forever after giving my life to Christ and starting a relationship with Him. But that's not the reason why I smile every time I see this photograph. Instead, it has to do with what is missing in the frame, namely, my glasses. I'm squinting in the picture because without my glasses, I'm blind as a bat. Everything becomes a blur.
Having secured our team's win in the heated cabin competition, all of us jumped into the lake to celebrate. Unfortunately, amid the commotion, someone inadvertently knocked my glasses off, sending them to the bottom of Saranac Lake. Did I forget to mention this occurred on the first day of a week-long camp experience? So, for the next seven days, I stumbled around camp. I wore people's emergency pairs or prescription sunglasses to get by, but they didn't do the trick. I routinely bumped into things, tripped over objects, and had a continual headache.
I learned a valuable lesson, okay, two that week. First, always bring a backup pair of glasses with you on vacation. And second, seeing clearly matters. Distorted vision influences us in more ways than we realize. It sends us in the wrong direction. We stumble. We become tentative. We're unsure of taking our next step. We forget what we value. The world around us looks and feels different, and in turn, we respond in a way that isn't natural or freeing.
Scripture speaks to the danger of having a lack of vision. Rather than walking with confidence, we stumble all over ourselves. This confusion leads us down paths of regret, frustration, and futility. When we don't possess a clear picture of the person we want to become, we are more apt to fall for anything, including settling for second best and status quo. Temptation becomes more appealing when everything around us is blurry. Without a steadiness to guide us, we hesitate to step out in faith.
But, with His words speaking into our lives and staying connected to Him in prayer, we can suddenly see where we are going. We might not know what lies along the path or where it will lead us, but we can pinpoint our next step, which is all God is asking us to take. So, today, consider the lens you use to view the world around you and how they shape how you see yourself.
Reflection
Would you say you possess a vision for the person you are becoming? Why or why not? What makes you answer in the way that you do?
Where are you not seeing clearly? What is distorting your view of these circumstances?
Prayer
God, when I focus my eyes on You, everything else makes sense. Help me to set my gaze towards Your love and Your grace. Give me the confidence to walk boldly into my future, knowing You have a plan and purpose for me. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.