Seeing 20/20
It’s no secret, good vision does not run in our family. I received glasses and contacts when I was about 11, Steve when he was about 6, and now it continues with our children. We never realized that Madison had bad vision until we noticed that one of her eyes would move when she would focus on something far a way. We took her to the eye doctor when she was about 4 years of age, and it turned out that her vision was so poor in her left eye that her right eye would try to help. The strain was what would force it to move. She has now been in glasses ever since she was really little. Nicolas, now 11, started to complain that it was difficult to see the chalkboard at school. The school gave him an eye test and it confirmed that we needed to take him to the eye doctor. We didn’t hear any complaints from Victoria (age 12), but decided she would get her yearly checkup as well. When they had their appointment we were very surprised to find out, that not only did Victoria need glasses, her eyes were even worse than Nic’s. So in one week, we all had on glasses…looking very intelligent, I must add ;) .
When Madison received her glasses, I remember feeling like a disaster as a mom. I know she probably didn’t know any different, but when she put on her knew glasses and walked out of the store, she commented on my beautiful “new” jeans. They were NOT new. I wore them all the time! For about a week, she continued to point out how beautiful everything was and seemingly “new”. Ugh, my heart would constantly sink. Why? As a mom, I will do anything to help my children. I want them to see clearly and not have to strain.
Seeing 20/20 is really vital, but unless my children communicate that they can’t see well, I can’t always know and help. You know, although God does know everything, I believe that we are so much like this spiritually. I truly believe there are three kinds of responses to our struggles and eternal position in life:
Those who have no clue they need help, need a Savior, or to change;
Those who know it and humbly ask for it; and
Those who know it and yet, keep it to themselves and try to act like everything is ok.
I know I have been all three at different times in my life.
Madison had no clue she was not seeing 20/20. She had no idea that the world could actually look any different. We saw that there was a need and took care of that need so she could see. Nicolas realized that he had a need, that the world was not looking as it should, and he asked for help and we were able to help him. Victoria, we came to find out, knew she couldn’t see well, but she actually hid it from us so that she wouldn’t have to wear glasses. She was willing to see the world from a very skewed and blurry perspective so that she could go on living the way in which she wanted. Even though it was not for the best, she was willing to sacrifice her vision for looks.
I don’t bring any of this up to down on my wonderful, God-given blessings, but to use as examples. God desires that we see the world,others, Him, and us through His perspective, His 20/20 lenses. How can his perspective on the very world He created (Genesis 1), give us anything less than a 20/20 perspective?
I know that His way is the right way; His way is perfect, protective, and the right perspective on life, yet I fight it for a less clear view. Why? I want my way! I want to know and reaffirm that what I want, what I think is right, what I think will meet my needs, and what I feel is best and morally upright is actually correct. I am often willing to sacrifice seeing the world, as it should be, for my own faulty, human agenda. Sad. I would never want my children to go through life with faulty lenses. Yet, I will do that to myself. Crazy! “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own site” (Isaiah 5:21).
How many times do you know what you need to do or the steps that you need to take to change; yet you dismiss them and sacrifice real joy, for instantaneous and temporary happiness? I do it. If you don’t think that you do, you already are not seeing 20/20.
Seeing life from God’s perspective, or 20/20, has nothing to do with how we feel about a situation or person. We are living in a time where so many decisions, commitments, and overall world views are being made based on an emotional response to them. That’s ludicrous! God’s perspective has to do with gaining ‘understanding’, ‘insight’, ‘wisdom’, and ‘discernment’. We can see this all through the Bible, but particularly throughout the Psalms and Proverbs. Think about Solomon, he knew the only way to rule righteously was to have ‘wisdom’. So that is what he asked for. Money, fame, fortune, who you know, social status, even intellect does not give you a better view on life, God does that! We are tainted by an experiential and sinful filter system that deceives us even when we receive truth. We have to work with the Holy Spirit to change that system. For example, if I have a father who constantly told me I was ugly, worthless, and a mistake, I am going to truly believe that (I don’t by the way). Even if I get into a great church, with great people, unless I work with the Holy Spirit to rectify those lies, I will filter everything I hear and read through the ugly, worthless, and mistake lens.
God has done so many wonderful changes in my life, but I wake up daily thanking Him for saving me because I am such a mess. I am so broken and constantly picking up my glasses with 20/200 vision in them, in order to try and control my life… knowing, it is not for the best. I know, that is crazy!!! But I also know that Iam not alone in that. Paul said he had a constant conflict between doing what he wanted to do, what he knew God wanted, and what he actually did; they always seemed to be in constant battle.
This is going to be a constant, lifelong battle. Paul told the believers, in Ephasus, that the only way to live with these new “lenses” is to “put off the former way of life, the old [lens], that is corrupted by deceitful desires; you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; you [must] put on the new [lens], the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth” (Ephesians 4:22-24).
In order to do to put on 20/20 lenses we must:
Pray! You cannot change your state of righteousness or sanctification; only God can do that. It is by grace we are saved and sanctified (made Holy, like Him). If you do not know Him, you cannot see clearly “…the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually” (1 Corinthians 2:16). If you do not know Him, get to know Him. God sent his only Son to die and take your place, so that He could be a payment for your sin. He loves you and gave his Son for you. He wants you to know him, not just know about
Read and meditate in His Word. “
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). You can count on His word to change you, the Word of God NEVER returns void… it always accomplishes the purpose for which God intended (Isaiah 55:11).
Memorize and choose His ways. Pick up the right pair of lenses everyday! Choose righteousness…choose goodness…choose kindness…choose faithfulness…choose love… choose Him, his ways, and His precepts. Remember the promises of God when you are weary, when you are beginning to doubt, when selfishness wants to set in, when Satan tries to remind you of past mistakes, and when you are anxious… pray and present everything to Him, with thanksgiving and He will give you the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:6).
He will give you 20/20 vision!
