Blind Spot part 5
Second Peter chapter 1 lists a whole litany of things that should give diligence to and add to. I'm not going to quote the whole passage, or list all of them here. But its all those things like faith, virtue, knowledge, etc. What I want to quote, and focus on today, is 2 Peter 1:8-9, "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." When the light shines we can see things clearly. That's why Jesus came to blind those who thought they could see--those who thought they had it all figured out--and then give sight to us all. See, when we "add" things to ourselves, its really just us receiving what He has already given us. Where does faith, virtue, knowledge, forgiveness, mercy, love come from? James 1:17 tells us, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Its all God. All love. That's what we need to see. THINKING we can see is thinking we can do things ourselves. Knowing we're blind is knowing that we need God. He is our life. Because He is life. To live is to love and to love is to live. Seeing love in every situation is the best--the only?--way to live. But if you lack (if you think, or believe you lack) all of those things that GOD has added to you... that's when you're truly blind and cannot see. That's when you've forgotten the finished work of the cross. Forgotten what God has done for you and as you. Forgotten who you really are. Looking in the mirror is so vitally important. Because when you do you see the glory of the Lord, and you are changed into that image from glory to glory. What you see is what you be. What you feed is what will grow. What you magnify in your life is what will manifest in your life. So I guess what I'm trying to say--tonight, and in this Rant series--is that seeing is believing. Walking by faith and not by sight is what's important. Letting God reveal Himself to us, and in us, and through us, and as us is the key. He came to make us all blind so that He could make us all see. He gave us everything we need to get rid of those blind spots. To spot excusing behavior (in other people and in ourselves) that isn't ok. But not by punishing us. Simply by showing us what's what. You can love people from a distance. You don't have to change them, but you don't need to enable them either. Turning the other cheek is not about letting someone keep slapping you. Its about simply not retaliating. Letting people be who they are, but setting boundaries so that you don't put yourself (or keep yourself) in a bad situation. If you fill yourself with all of the goodness that you've already been filled with, you won't have room for anything else. In the Father of lights there is no variableness or shadow of turning. In light there is no darkness. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Its all about love, love, love!