Can You See Clearly Now?

I have worn eye glasses since I was 10 years old.  I am therefore very adept at going through a visit with the optometrist.  The part that is always a bit frustrating for me is when they put the phoropter  in front of my face and ask me, " Is this view better or that view better?"  I understand they are trying to provide me with the sharpest vision possible, but come on.  When there are great differences between the views, it is easy to say which is clearer.  But when the two versions look the same, it is frustrating to try to give an answer knowing it affects your prescription.

Phoropter

In many ways, I think the Lord is trying to sharpen our vision.  As we look through His phoropter, we are presented with views of what's godly and what's secular and He asks, "which looks better?"  He shows us what is spiritual and what is religious and asks, "What is better?"  Our eyes are open, but are we seeing clearly what is better?  From the emails and religious commentary I hear and see, it seems our vision is cloudy.  What seems different or uncomfortable appears to offend our religious senses, whether it is sinful or not.  I  wonder if all the things that offend us really offend Christ.  Could He be presenting us an opportunity to not see the offense, but see the chance to make a difference in this world?  Could our vision be so distorted by our comfort zones that we fail to see the hurt, the need, the cry for help?

In Mark 8, Jesus heals a blind man.  There is no explanation about how the man became blind.  He may have gone blind over time or was born that way.  When Jesus spit on the man's eyes and touched him, the man said he saw men like trees walking.  His new vision seemed distorted.  Was the healing imperfect or incomplete?  I don't think so.  I think that he didn't know how to perceive that which He was seeing.  It was distorted.

Mark 8:22-25(NKJV) ²²Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.  ²³So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. ²⁴And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” ²⁵Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 

Scientists have now learned that no matter how long a blind person has been blind, when they receive their sight back, the cerebral cortex (the part of the brain relating to vision) must be reprogrammed.  I believe the second time Jesus touched Him was not to complete the healing, but to correct His perception, reprogramming the cerebral cortex.  He could then see accurately.

Perhaps that is what we need...a touch from the Lord that not only heals our vision, but also our perception so that we will see things through His eyes and with His heart.  We will be moved with compassion to make a difference. Our focus will be on living out the mission of Jesus Christ.

Lord, perfect our sight and give us vision!