AN OPTICAL TEST FOR BELIEVERS!
It's In The Eye Of The Beholder
By Rev DebThe basic four vision types
1. Myopia vision: a shortsightedness or nearsightedness
2. Peripheral vision: a side vision. It focuses on the things outside of the line of vision. It is insensitive to color.
3. Tunnel vision, it is limited to the center of the field of view. A narrow viewpoint resulting from concentration on only one aspect of a subject or situation. The visual field is severely constricted.
4. Panoramic vision, an unbroken view of the entire picture or surroundings. The act of SEEING.
WHAT'S YOUR VISION??
Matthew 13 is a parable of the sower and the seed. In it, Jesus describes the different conditions of the heart. Each of these conditions, as we shall see parallels to the four eye conditions mentioned above.
Jesus, reveals in Matthew 6:22, that the eyes are an important test of one’s walk as a believer.
He states,
"Your EYE is a lamp that provides the light (understanding) for your body. When your EYE is GOOD, your whole body (walk) is filled with light (understanding). But when your EYE is bad (filled with the lust of life), your whole body is filled with darkness (selfish ambitions). And if the LIGHT you THINK you have is actually darkness, how deep is that darkness!”
In other words, it is possible to have sight without real vision. Helen Keller was once asked if there was anything worse than being blind, she responded: "Yes, having eyesight, but no vision."
Myopia is defined as a nearsightedness, causing an inability to see distant objects clearly. Objects in the distance appear shadowy, fuzzy or obscure. Myopia lacks foresight or discernment. It is insensitive and slow to comprehend objects that are out of close range.
Like myopia, the nearsighted believer also lacks foresight and discernment. Thier myopic point of view keeps God's word at a distance. Therefore, they demonstrate a constant pleasure-seeking attitude. Their fuzzy out of focus and obscure perception holds them captive to worldly behavior and is clearly seen by their lack of real interest in the things of God.
An important recurring theme that has been stamped throughout the pages of the Bible as a lesson for us to learn, is about SIGHT! Our Christian walk will depend on how we perceive God's word and the willingness to receive what it teaches.
In other words, it will depend on whether we view what has been written with our natural eyes (using Scripture out of context to fit personal desires) or with our spiritual eyes (humbly accepting the truth in its proper context) of faith.
SPIRITUAL OR NATURAL EYES?
Is your walk all that it can be? Are you selfish or selfless? Greedy or giving? Hateful or loving? Cold or caring? Unforgiving or forgiving?
These questions are the self-examining, self-determining visionary test of our spiritual maturity or lack of…
HOW DO YOU SCORE???
How we see things and our perception of what we see, determines our perspective on any given subject. Our understanding will either be viewed through the eyes of human reason or it will step up to a higher potential of spiritual comprehension.
Applying Spiritual Principals
Believers with myopic vision are acutely nearsighted. They are hard-pressed to see life beyond today. So, their nearsighted behavior lives for the moment! How I can please myself!
They loved God unto salvation, because the word was "NEAR to them, in their mouth and in their heart..." Rom. 10:8 and therefore could confess it. There was nothing physical to do in that!!! But when it comes to living for Christ on a daily basis- well that is quite a different story! This is because it takes faith with action!!! Living selfless, being disciplined to put others first, caring, giving, loving, forgiving and maintaining a faithful godly conviction takes physical action!!!
These are things outside the myopic scope of vision and cause a "me first" "myself" kind of attitude. This, therefore, defines the babe in Christ. One who lacks the ability to understand the VISION of God's plan for their life and so feels the need to help themselves, rather than trust on the Lord's guidance. They are unable to take in the solid food (teachings) of Christ, and can only handle the milk of the Word-
Listen to the writer of Hebrews,
“There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull (lack of insight and interest) and don’t seem to listen... You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.” Heb 11,13, 14This leaves the myopic Christian in need of corrective lenses. This comes to the believer in the form of spiritual discipline from the Lord.
Myopic Christians are motivated by self-pleasures. Compromise, justifications- they are FENCE RIDERS. They have one foot in their faith as long as it does not interfere with their agenda and or cause them to have to make sacrifices for others. They display fleshly attitudes of selfishness, Jealousy, strife and other such deeds of the flesh.
The apostle Paul put a corrective lens up to the eyes of the Corinthian believers when he scolded them for displaying such JEALOUSY and STRIFE MAKING!
“Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?” 1Cor 3:1-3
Myopic believers nearsighted "what's in it for me" attitude, reveals their infancy in Christ as being motivated by the flesh and therefore, makes it a difficult task to FOCUS on what the true importance of their new life in Christ is all about.
That they live for the moment is made clear by what they do, who they are doing it for and the justifications that follow. After a while their motives become visible. Believers are known by the fruit they bear. (This is not considered judging).
"'By their fruits, you will know them'" ... John 15:8
The future is blurred by their shortsighted PERSONAL WANTS and PHYSICAL SATISFACTION.
It is an "All about me, what I want, what helps me, how can I benefit, what will I get out of it, babe like attitude !!
Eve had developed this same form of myopia when standing too close to the forbidden fruit. The fruit that dangled in front of her caused her to have a nearsighted effect of God's creative vision beyond the garden and caused her to lose focus of the true scope of the Lord's plan for mankind.
Just look what happened to her and the rest of the human race because of her myopic act of selfishness.
Myopic Christians do not realize the effect that their walks may have on others and for some, they don't even care as long as they are happy.
Myopic vision- will never prove the righteousness of God.
"...Add godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are SHORTSIGHTED or BLIND (myopia), forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins." 2 Pet. 1:7-9
“When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.
But whoever obeys the word of the Lord is joyful.” Proverbs 29:18
Another translation: “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained.”
They can’t focus, can’t reach their goal" Proverbs 29:18
The Doctor will see you in His office for optical test #2
Until then, keep your eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of your faith!
No comments:
Post a Comment