Becoming Brighter in Your Eyes
There are two kinds of blindness in the Bible -
The first is a physical blindness – those who are truly unable to navigate life on their own. Â They were counted among the poor, the helpless, and the prisoners. Â The second kind of blindness is a spiritual blindness. Â It has to do with a refusal to accept reality – to look squarely at the evidence and convince yourself of something totally different. Â A blind mind, for Isaiah and other writers of the Bible, is far worse than a blind eye.
Unfortunately, often the former is asked to aid the latter.
“If one blind person guides another, both will fall into a ditch.” – Jesus, (Matt 15:14)
In Isaiah 42, Yahweh God is describing his amazing work in creating a nation of priests – the Israelites – to do the work of proclaiming to the world the greatest secret of all, that God is near. Â He rescues Israel from bondage and clues them in on who he is, asking them to be his royal envoy and messenger. Â But they aren’t listening. They are blind and deaf to their message, to their purpose.
Their role as priest to the nations never  happens, and eventually, God has to scrap the project and try again.  It grows out of the intentionally blind trying to lead the unintentionally blind – like a seeing person closing his eyes while guiding a blind person across a busy street.
But imagine if the roles were suddenly reversed – if those born blind now could see; would they help those who were struck with blindness? Â Would the formerly-blind choose to close their eyes, favoring the darkness over the amazing new world of light and color?
Sometimes it is easy to take sight for granted; and it is the same with spiritual insight. Â For today – recover the amazement of your first days of sight – looking in wonder at the world around you – point out to others where you see God at work. Â Make it known – be the messenger God was hoping for in the Israelites.
When you show others the light, it becomes brighter in your own eyes too.
miller are discussing. 
Brian is discussing. 
Rusty 10:02 am on December 20, 2010 Permalink
Hey Mark! Thanks for your thoughts on social justice. When the cry of the needy is just, I agree..we must do what we can to meet those needs. However, I doubt Peter and James would appreciate calling them a “ragtag bunch of homeless, social miscreants.” The people Jesus chose to keep close by himself were not bums, lazy, strung out pot heads. They were made up of hard working, business owners in whom Jesus saw had potential. Peter and James owned their own family fishing business and when they left their jobs they had sense enough to even entrust the business to hired servants. (Mark 1:16) These were men who had everything and left it all to follow Jesus. (Matt. 19) Far from what we see with the issue of homelessness in America. I’m not sure I can call most homeless people in America “oppressed” either. Spiritually oppressed, yes, by worldly pleasures that they need deliverance from. India, Africa, Sudan….are oppressed. Sometimes I think we want to paint an “all inclusive” Jesus who just allowed anyone to be around Him when in fact Jesus was very exclusive at times and put expectations on his followers. Many of whom were not ready to give it all up to follow Him. (Matt. 19). I do get your point. Leadership is not about building empires, but about serving and equipping those who are in need.
miller 11:24 am on December 20, 2010 Permalink
this is not disagreement, but thoughts your post stirred up…
Godly leadership is about more than who you lead… it’s also about how you lead. Jesus took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist and washed filthy feet. Jesus never forced anyone and he usually gave plenty of opportunity to leave. i think in some ways the “honest princes” are reluctant leaders because they are all about the King staying King… they’re usually scared to death that they will somehow get in the way of what God is doing. a hallmark of the “honest prince” is that they attend to God as the source of their power, wisdom, and direction.
Mark 11:45 am on December 20, 2010 Permalink
Miller – well said. “Leader” is one of those great nouns made up of a “verb.” Its not about who – but about how. Very cool.
Rusty – I’d say there’s plenty of social oppression on many of the homeless in America today – I don’t think we can say every homeless person is completely able to overcome their adversities to become a wealthy CEO. I think there’s more to the “principalities and powers of this dark age” than intangible spiritual forces – they manifest themselves in financial, racial, and other ways.
Ya got me on the disciples (one or two of them) were respectable members of society. Peter especially. But something caused them to give it all up to follow Jesus. Living homeless like Jesus did causes you to find compassion for the homeless in new ways. It also causes you to empower them to see themselves as worthy children of God – not trash in a gutter.
Good thoughts! Keep pushing me here – I’m ready to learn.
Rusty 12:16 pm on December 20, 2010 Permalink
I would submit to you that its the same deception to associate spirituality with poverty as it is to associate spirituality with wealth. We are not more “spiritual” because we are homeless, broke or poor or because we associate with them. I think it would be error to say that true leadership requires us to take some sort of vow of poverty, as some have.