Blurry Vision!

This past week I’ve been dealing with a corneal abrasion in my right eye, such that the vision in that eye became completely blurred. Aside from the pain and the sensitivity to light that I was experiencing, I couldn’t even read the top two letters (i.e. largest letters) on the eye chart. When I covered my left eye, everything became a blur. Thankfully, with the treatments given to me by the doctor, as well as the prayers of my friends, my eyesight is almost back to normal. For about five days, however, it was terrible having blurry vision. 

It made me think, however, how it is we actually see our lives and the world around us. The opinions and so-called knowledge that we so easily spout, as well as the answers that we tend to so quickly give, are all based on what we might call “blurry vision.” That’s true of any of us and all of us. Thus, the politician who thinks he knows how to solve all of our nation’s problems has blurry vision; the philosopher who thinks he knows the reason for our being has blurry vision; the scientist who thinks he can eradicate disease or understand the foundations of the universe has blurry vision; the theologian who seems to have God, salvation, the end times, and eternity all figured out has blurry vision. When it comes to understanding any of these things, you and I, at our best, have blurry vision. 

The Apostle Paul, in talking about life and eternity and the ministry of the Spirit, wrote, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror….” (1 Corinthians 13:12 – NIV) Or, “For now we see through a glass darkly…” (KJV) You see, mirrors in Paul’s day were nothing like the mirrors we have today. They were made of metal, were dark, and the images were distorted—blurry to say the least. You see, Paul was admitting that although he may have had a glimpse of reality and eternity, his vision was blurry. Thus, he reminds us that none of us is able to fully explain all of the things mentioned above, for again, even at our best we all have blurry vision. 

On the other hand, looking ahead to the day in which he and all other believers will stand in the presence of Christ, Paul continues, “…then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” That is, when we enter into the presence of Christ Jesus our Lord, the One who’s vision is and has always been clear as day, our blurry vision will be gone; we will then understand all that we could not understand while here on this earth. 

What does this all have to do with our lives today? (1) It ought to cause each of us to approach all matters with a great sense of humility. After all, all of our opinions, solutions, and answers to life are based on the way it is we see and interpret life—i.e. through blurry vision. (2) It ought to cause us to long for the day when we will enter into the presence of Christ our Lord, for it will be then and only then that all things will be made clear. 

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2 – NIV) 

Have a great day! 

Pastor Tim Harris