Friday’s Devotion – Improving our Spiritual Eyesight

John 9:39 (NLT)  Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

Several friends recently have posted puzzles on Facebook based on optical illusions. For example in a square filled with rows of identical flowers, find the two stars. At first glance one sees neither of them.  But as you look carefully, row by row they become easy to spot. What we once couldn’t see becomes visible.

Here, Jesus is talking about spiritual blindness. In John 8:12 Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  In 1 John we learn that when we walk in this light we will fellowship with one another.  One of Jesus’ most notable characteristics was that he saw people differently.  He saw value in the very people whom others looked down on. Sometimes like with those puzzles, we have to work a little to see the value in people but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.  I may not like the panhandler outside Walgreens or the aggressive driver who cuts me off in traffic but over the years through my own spiritual growth I have come to recognize that these people have stories of their own. Who is to say my story is any better than theirs in the sight of God?  Scripture gives us a prescription for improving our spiritual eyesight: James 2:8 “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.”
Has Jesus given you sight or is he showing you that you are blind? 

God of Grace, Help us to see others as you would see them and ourselves also. When we go to criticize another, remind us that he or she also woke up that day with cares and burdens.  Help us to see the newborn babe that they once were, innocent and hopeful yet vulnerable.  When we can’t praise others, help us to pray for them. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Make a new friend today!

Paige