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
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