Classic Illustrator, first appearing in 2005

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” (1 Cor. 13:12 NIV)

There is something unique about me. I am considered legally blind. All I can see with my right eye are shapes and colors, even with my glasses on. I can’t read letters, not even the biggest letter on the eye chart. If my left eye worked at the same strength as my right eye, I would not even be allowed to drive my car on the street (I don’t blame them!).

My left eye is much better, but it is still quite myopic. I can see clearly through it if I wear my glasses, however without them, I am completely dependent on others. Just yesterday, I was groping around my bedroom trying to find my eyeglasses. Fortunately, my wife came to my rescue.

I was born with bad eyesight, but nobody realized it until much later. When I was five, my parents bought their first black-and-white television (Yeah, I lived in the time of the dinosaurs!). I always moved my chair forward until I was about five inches from the television set, so I could better see. My parents, not knowing any better, would move my chair back, and I always figured they didn’t want me to see what was on TV.! It was only when I entered first grade that I was finally diagnosed with bad eyesight and received my first pair of eyeglasses. Boy they were thick (in Canada we now have ultra-thin glasses that hides the severity of my sight loss)! But I still remember the first day with my glasses. There was a whole new world in front of me! I was flabbergasted! This couldn’t be! There was a beautiful, colorful world out there, and I hadn’t even known it!

A few days ago, as I was worshipping in our family room, I noticed our new Christmas tree adorned with its many white and shiny lights. Then I took my glasses off and looked at the tree with my right eye. It looked completely different! The Christmas tree didn’t look like a tree at all. All I could see were green and white blobs hanging somewhere in the space. I couldn’t see the decorations, I couldn’t see the garland, I couldn’t even see that it was a tree!

Then I looked at the tree with my left eye and I could see some white blurry lights, some fuzzy decorations and garland, and a hazy tree. Only when wearing my glasses could I distinguish clearly the full impact of the beauty of that tree.

The same is true while we remain on this planet. We see things in a fuzzy way. We don’t understand why bad things happen to good people, especially if that good person is yourself! We sometimes see life as a distorted half-white, half-green blob, hanging somehow somewhere. It doesn’t always make sense. Why did my dad have to die? Why was my niece raped? Why, why, why?

However the day will come when we will receive a special pair of eyeglasses, and once we wear them, we will see the beauty of it all. Life will make sense then, and we will see that all along Jesus was at our side, caring for us, crying when we were sad and upset, rejoicing when we felt His presence. We are blessed, my friends. We just don’t know it.

Oh how I can’t wait for that day when I will be able to see Jesus face to face. Falling on my knees, I will worship Him. He is the One who can make sense out of our mess. He is THE solution to all of our problems!

How is your eyesight? Have a blessed Christmas, my friend!

Rob Chaffart
Founder, Answers2Prayer Ministries