The Deformed Christmas Tree
1 Cor 13:12 "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."
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