When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly (Mark 8: 23-25 NIV).
The other day I was praying for a young man whose way of looking at things seemed distorted. I was frustrated by his insistence on blaming his situation totally on the actions of another person, unable or unwilling to see where his own fault lay.
As I prayed, I suddenly had a mental image of an eye doctor standing beside her patient. She was painstakingly clicking the machine that holds the corrective lenses until, at last, after many adjustments, the person in the chair was able to see clearly. As I thought about that image, I realized how much that eye doctor resembles our loving heavenly Father. He knows that we are often so blinded by our own pride and insecurity that it is almost impossible for us to see the truth about ourselves all at once. Sometimes it takes years for Him to correct our faulty vision, one “click” at a time.
Thankful for the new insight, I decided to stop expecting this young man to change overnight; I began, instead, to look for the little clicks that would remind me that our heavenly “Eye Doctor” was at work! Thank you, Father, for your patience with us as you correct our vision. Help us to extend that patience to others. Amen.
(Devotional adapted from Homespun Faith, Reflections from the Seasons of Life, copyright 2014 Daisy Beiler Townsend. Available as paperback or ebook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Xulon Press. There are Links on this website on the Where to Buy Homespun Faith and Sarah’s Legacy page. Locally at Fresh Grounds, M & M Grocery, Leana’s Books, Penn Alps in Grantsville, Maryland, or from me 724-373-8445.)