Have you ever seen a blind person trying to make his way across a busy street with only a white cane or seeing-eye dog as his guide? Have you ever thought of the utter despair and helplessness he must feel at times? Imagine not being able to see the sky or the flowers or the faces of loved ones. NOTHING. All is darkness.
Close your eyes tightly for a moment and we’ll try to experience some of the feelings a blind person might have . . . . Noise is all around us, coming from all directions. I hear children’s voices over there. They sound happy. I wonder what they are doing? I hear the sweet melody of a bird. I wonder what kind it is? Maybe there’s a tree over there with a nest in it. I hear a motorcycle driving past, a dog running and barking. Let’s go back to the house. But in which direction is the house? We’ll begin to walk anyway. Slowly now, we have to keep our arms out in front of us so we don’t bump into anything. Oh, we tripped and fell over something that feels like a tree branch. I think we have had enough of being blind.
Now open your eyes. The brilliance of the sun is blinding for an instance. But after our eyes get used to it, we can again see! We can see the sky, the flowers, and children playing. We see each little blade of grass, each petal of the flowers, each freckle on the children’s faces. We can run and jump. Oh, what a beautiful day! How great it is to be able to see!
You may ask now, so what? I can see, I am not blind. I do not have to be told of what I can actually see.
I believe it is possible, though, to be blind even though our eyes may be able to “see.”
Our lives today in this modem age are very hectic and busy. So many of us are just content to exist, to merely be able to survive in this rat-race. But do you ever take time out to look around you and see, really SEE? I don’t mean merely stop, glance around and say you’ve taken a look. I mean, do you notice the glory of God in everything you see? One does not have to search hard to find it for it is apparent everywhere. All we have to do is use our eyes. Not only our physical eyes, but also the pair of spiritual “eyes” God has given us, his children. Then we are no longer surrounded by darkness, but dazzled by the brilliance of His glory in everything — from the awesome grace of the majestic mountains to the minute and articulate art of an ant hill. I wonder if that is the way the composer of this song felt when he wrote these words:
“This is my Father’s world,
And to my list’ning ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world;
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas —
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world.
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Master’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass.
He speaks to me everywhere.”
I will leave with you this short prayer: Dear Father, keep me from being blind to thy beauty. Open my eyes so that I can truly SEE.