Matthew 7:3-4 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? NIV
My collie Belle has collie eye anomaly which permanently affects her vision. I thus closely monitor both her behaviour and the visible health of her eyes in order to detect further vision problems which may be developing. Not long ago one of her eyes began to weep. A few days later I loaded her into the truck and headed to the vets.
At the clinic the vet froze and administered dye to Belle’s eye to highlight any foreign bodies or disease. We were both shocked to discover a large ulcer. Coupled with her existing eye anomaly her vision was completely blocked.
Eye anomaly and ulcerated eyes are not only limited to collies however. Jesus speaks about a spiritual vision condition which we could perhaps term as human eye anomaly. An anomaly is something abnormal or irregular, a deviation from the rule. When it affects the spiritual eye of human beings it makes it easier for us to see the distortions, inconsistencies, and faults in others while often overlooking our own. Left unchecked this anomaly may progress to complete ulceration and spiritual blindness.
The only way to ensure clear spiritual vision, as Christians, amidst human eye anomaly is to schedule regular appointments with the Great physician Jesus Christ. Taking time to be quiet and submissive in his presence through disciplines such as prayer, bible study or mediation allows him time to scrutinize our inner thoughts and mindsets through the highlighting flow of his love and mercy; love and mercy which has the power to reveal and set to right, as much as possible, any spiritual distortions therein and prevent further spiritual eye disease or deterioration from occurring.
Belle’s sight is gradually improving. It appears that soon her vision will once again be as clear as possible, but what about my vision today, what about yours? Is our human eye anomaly being monitored carefully by the Great physician, that we might be seeing others as clearly as Jesus sees them? Or has neglect of routine spiritual eye checkups caused an ulceration in the form of a judgmental and critical attitude to block the way we see those around us?
Prayer: Father God grant us power today that we might be open and willing to receive clearer spiritual vision. May we see others through the perfection of your spiritual eyes. Heal us from any and all judgmental and critical attitudes toward others that the highlighting flow of your love and mercy may enlighten the world around us. In Christ’s name we ask. Amen.
Lynne Phipps
Atlin, BC lynnephipps@hotmail.com