Blind

I was on my way to run a couple of errands, driving down Bingle and there he was, an officer parked in the shadows of the median.  The traffic was light but in retrospect moving very carefully so I had no choice but to follow in their course of speed.  I looked in my rear view mirror , as often I do when I pass a policeman, and sure enough he had changed his bearings and was no longer bustled in his position.and he was moving my way. In question, I kept watching, for the traffic was way to slow for me to have been speeding, and sure enough here came the lights.

That is so embarrassing, and I pulled off to the next street and pledged my attention as to what was to come. It was my inspection sticker, something I see everyday but never take time to register in my mind its validity.  It had expired and not by a month or so but it expired in April.  There is a registration sticker that sits above it and it expires in 2013, and I in my dimmest observance never considered examining the one below it.  The officer was quite nice and knew that I really was clueless of my infraction and offered to talk to the judge on court date and see if he could relinquish the penalty.  It is a customary exercise if it is less than 6 months, but I clearly had overstepped my time.  I took care of the inspection, as I had said I would do, immediately and we will see what the outcome will be. 

This was violation has been in my view for months, but I had not taken notice of it, and neither had anyone else, including other officers.  I had gotten by, but finally, I was forced to acknowledge it, and deal with it perspectively.  It got me thinking how many other things have been sitting dormant that I need to be dealing with?  Things that are right before my very eyes, things that are in my path that have gone unnoticed. Which brings me to the thought of having blinders on. Don't you agree, if only reluctantly, that  we see what we want to see, and often times ignore the things that are just too hard to deal with, too fragile to confront, too complicated to understand, or too risky to approach? Some things just flat do not register, while other things are blatantly cast aside, sometimes out of fear, discomfort, or a lack of initiative because whatever it is that we have alluded is not seemingly worth the effort it would take to confront it. But what if God sees things differently;  though a lens that we do not have.  

In Sunday school on Sunday, Roger, my teacher brought up a point regarding blindness:  he said why is it that we can read the same scripture over and over again and one day all of the sudden, that meaning of that one verse has a light of understanding cast upon it? 

It is because the Holy Spirit has allowed us to see what we were blind to before.  It is a revelation, little as it may be from God, who has allowed us to peek through His lens of goodness and perfection. So, I believe it is with us in daily routine.  If we ask God to take off our blinders and give us eyes to see what it is that he wants to do through us, or what it is he wants us to confront and recognize, what it is that he wants to be revealed to us; it is then that we will be given the opportunity to see past our own agendas and give way to His. 

John 9:25

He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 

In our efforts to see things and situations clearly we have to depend on Christ to lead us in our advances towards solving whatever it is that has landed in our life that is blurred.  If we yearn for His knowledge, are cognizant of His grace, and submit to God with an open and willing heart, he will help us to see life through His lens.  He will bring upon us a consciousness to help us see and recognize those situations that are important to Him even though they may seem irrelevant to us. 

I got the ticket yesterday, but as I drove away I found myself being thankful:  thankful that the officer who had stopped me was not offensive and had a nice demeanor and who was willing to go to bat for me in front of the judge, thankful that my daughter who has borrowed my car just days before was not the one who got stopped, thankful that it was not a speeding violation, thankful that I wasn't in a hurry to get somewhere, thankful to have been made aware of a situation that could be easily solved etc.  

When God sees that something, be it a train of thought, an unspoken hurt, an unyielding temptation, an abuse of power, a disrespect of authority (His), a lack of trust and faithfulness, etc, I pray that God will stop me in my tracks and confront me.  And I pray too, that I will be able to accept his confrontation with humility and a much needed light of perspective.  For I am often on the blindside of situations, and it is only through God's light of recognition that I will be given the opportunity to see through His lens of goodness and perfection rather than through my inadequate justification.  I am ever thankful for God's continued oversight, as he lingers in the shadows of my life, watching my every move. Blessed are we to be able to know, love and honor the overseeing God of this universe. 

Dear Lord, There have been many times when you have taken my blinders off and allowed me to see life through the lens of your goodness. Please continue to stop me when I have failed to comply with your standards and help me to be continually grateful for your watching eye. Amen  

       

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!