Regaining Sight
Imagine what it would be like to lose your sight.
How much would change in your life?
Would you be able to work? Could you pay your bills? Would someone have to do things for you?
Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me see again." - Luke 18:40-41
In today's reading from Luke's Gospel, Jesus hears a man crying out and asks that he be brought to him. The man is blind and he wants to see again.
I am sure I would feel the same way.
The thought of being like this man makes me wonder. How many of the things in my life do I really need? How many would I be desperate to get back if I lost them?
How many are as precious as my sight?
This is the time of year when I find myself tempted by the sales and ads for holiday gifts. What do I need, want, desire?
Is it time to upgrade my technology? Can I justify spending money for something a bit extravagant?
If I think about it enough, I can convince myself.
But consider the blind man for a moment. What does he want? Is his request extravagant?
The message here may be more than what it appears. Yes, Jesus grants the man his sight, a sign that God listens to us and wants to help us, but maybe there is more to this story.
Maybe Luke wants us to stop and take notice, to see ourselves in this man and ask ourselves what we need from God. Not what we want, but what we truly need above all other things.
What will change our lives?
What will make a difference in how we live and what we live for?
As I come to this Advent Season, I will take a close look at how I spend my hours and ask myself the same questions. What do I need? What will make a dramatic difference in how and why I live?
I may find that I, too, have been blind, and I, too, have a need to regain my sight.
More to come...