Turning a Blind Eye

As our grandchildren continue to grow, the kitchen counter is becoming just the right height to offer a colorful sundry of items for their curiosity. Stimulating that curiosity, I recently added a BIG see-through jar filled with colorful, delectable candy on the counter for their amusement. I thought they would enjoy the candy jar, and boy was that an understatement! They liked it so much they wanted candy from Nana’s BIG see-through jar all the time.

Vision is our most dominant sense. Eighty to eighty-five percent of our learning and perception is done with our eyes. What we see is what we want. What we see impacts the way we do life, so it makes perfect sense my grandchildren want the candy they see in the BIG see-through jar.

Adults operate the same way. When candy, cookies, or other goodies, sit around on the counter for all to SEE, there is a great temptation to eat some, or all, of the goodies. It may seem like a no-brainer, but simply putting these items in another non-see-through container may change everything. Out of sight, out of mind.

The office kitchen, the break room at work, and possibly even the classroom, offer challenges to healthy living too. The goodies are just sitting there in our line of vision. We pass through the rooms and we see them, over and over, again and again. Something happens, maybe something stressful, and before you know it, it’s goody time. While hiding the candies and goodies in a decorative jar will help, consider bringing healthier snacks for the gang at work. See what happens next. I guarantee most of your co-workers will eat what they see.

The eyes, and what we see, can open the door to the power of suggestion in other areas of our life as well. Suddenly, candy bars, cars, razors, or even a broom, can be made to look sexy, and you have to think, what is going on here? What you watch will affect your visual alignment. You will be continually drawn to whatever you choose to continue watching and this will affect the way you think. For instance, my husband and I were watching a series on Amazon, and although it was fictional, the premise caused me to ask, what if? The power of seeing can creep deeply into our thoughts, perceptions, actions, and emotions.

Our visual memory can also be a powerful thing. Many struggle with the mental pictures of trauma or bad childhood experiences. These bad memories, if left unresolved, can affect our will, emotions, stability, and everything about us. Open your eyes to the words of Psalm 121:1-2 and find the help of the Lord. “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” God’s Word comes with a 100% guarantee, if you ask Him to help you with these images, He will!

Just because things are difficult to view, doesn’t mean we should close our eyes to what is going on around us. While the things of this world can be scary, or frightening, we should be well aware of local, national, and even international news, so we may pray for those involved. As Christians, ignoring the news, or refusing to keep up with current events, is foolish on our part. We have an obligation to know and pray.

Luke 11:33-36 tells us specifically about the eyes, “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

There are so many ways we can be desensitized, or blinded by what we see. Commercials, television, movies, and the internet, show the same images over and over until it is difficult to shock us, and even more difficult to turn away. I am certain that people who are addicted to graphic images, or pornography, or whatever, didn’t wake up one morning and choose to become addicted to this or that. They didn’t wake up and say, “Hey, it is going to be my goal to ruin my home-life, and relationship with my family, so I can look at these images all day.” But that is exactly what happens to people when they turn the page to dark places.

There are many scripture references in the Bible which talk about Jesus healing the blind. In Mark 8:25 Jesus did what only Jesus could do. “Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” Jesus is still healing the blind today. My vision was distorted; in fact, I experienced a form of double vision. You know the times when the truth is hard to find amidst the lies. Once I accepted Jesus into my life, my blindness was healed and I began to see things fresh and new! My eyes became hopeful, and I began to see the good in others.

Fix your eyes upon Jesus, and SEE the sweet life he has planned for you!

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