[Biblemat] S) THE GIFT OF SIGHT

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study from my
files.  Use to the glory of God.

THE GIFT OF SIGHT

     Blindness is one of the great tragedies of life.  Living in a
world of total darkness is something we cannot really compre-
hend.  I am sure that some of us have known people who have been struck with 
blindness but have adapted well, live
useful, productive lives and appear to be happy.  They have
developed other senses and talents to compensate for their
blindness.

     There is another type of blindness which binds the man in
misery, despair and hopelessness and, in a sense, is as tragic (if not more 
so) as physical blindness.  We speak of
spiritual, mental, or emotional blindness.  A person afflicted
with this is ensnared in self-pity, despair, gloom and a sense
of hopelessness -- all because he does not know how to look
for (or will not see) the things around him that can give peace, joy, comfort 
and meaning to life.  Let me tell you of an
experience that taught me the great lesson of "sight."

     In west-central Georgia where I lived for a few years, there
is a beautiful place called Callaway Gardens -- over 2,500
acres of natural, culitivated beauty.  For exercise, I took daily
walks there.  Spring and summer brought abundant hues of
blossoms and flowers.  The gentle breeze carried the fragrant
scent of flowers as wisps of vapor throughout the beautiful
woods and meandering trails.

     Gradually, however, the beauty of summer gave way to the law of change 
in nature.  The trees and shrubs were 
steadily stripped of their foliage and the flowers faded away.
Soon the naked trees appeared stark, dreary and lifeless --
especially on a dark and dismal day.

     About that time of year, may moods and feelings blended
with the bleak and empty scenes of the woods around me.
All of my children had recently married, and the scenes of the
woods around me, and the sense of loss and loneliness was
overwhelming.  To make matters worse, I was suffering pain
as the result of an auto accident and was required to undergo
therapy three times a week.  This had a way of sapping not 
only my physical vitality, but my mental and emotional as well.  It was this 
matter of "seeing," however, that brought 
about a change in me and helped me to overcome my despon-
dency.

     It happened on a cold, drizzling, late November day, I was
in a dismal mood as I walked through the woods when suddenly I saw a tall 
bush with leaves on it of green, yellow
and purple.  Further on I saw more -- a beautiful variety of hues and colors, 
as if they were telling me, "Look at the beau-ty in us, not at your drab 
surroundings."  My mind and spirit
responded.

     The longer I looked at the beauty of those bushes, the more oblivious I 
became to the bleak surroundings about me.
It was as if they were saying to me, "Receive the blessings
from the beauty we offer you, for it is your blessing from God."  Soon my 
mind and heart responded and my spirit was
uplifted.  I went back again and again and absorbed the beauty as some great 
delicacy that is to be relished with a 
feeling of thrill, excitement and wonder.

     The leaves faded and fell in time, but the warm, uplifting
memories lingered on and brought joy and happiness to my
heart, changing my life for the better.

     What made the difference?  Looking at, determining to see
right things!  And realizing that God's love provides things in
nature as a source of peace and contentment.  We can look
about us, see a world of sorrow, misery, suffering and cruelty
and our hearts can fail us, our lives can become miserable --
because we look at things that are miserable and allow them
to have negative effects on us.  Our minds dwell on the things we see and 
eventually affect us accordingly.

     Think seriously about the words of Christ: "And because
iniquity shall abound; the love of many shall wax cold" (Matt.
24:12).  They look at the evil and wickedness about them and
eventually it destroys their faith and the beauty of life because they fail 
to look in the right direction and see the
frand, wonderful, beautiful blessings.  God offers them.

     We are to "Run with patience the race that is set before
us."  But we cannot succeed if we only look at the evil around
us and allow that to affect our thinking.  How are we assured
success?  We are to "look unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our fith" 
(Heb. 12:1,2).  As the Psalmist said, 
"Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary" (Psa. 96:6).  And
we are to "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness" (vs. 9).
Thus, looking to Jesus we see absolute, divine beauty.  In Him we can find 
"beauty of holiness" in daily living.  Whatever
we look at and determine to "see" will determine the quality
of life we will have.

     We can have the "peace that passeth all understanding"
that will "keep our hearts and minds."  But it does not come
from human origin or surroundings...It "passes all understand-ing" because it 
comes from a higher source, wisdom and pow-er than anything earthly.  It is 
"through Christ Jesus."  Things
that are honest, just, lovely, of good report, "we must think
on these things!" (Phil. 4:7,8).

     As I saw the evidence of God's greatness, love and power
in those shrubs that had the leaves of beautiful hues of color,
I soon lost sight of the dreary, gloomy surroundings and my
heart and soul received strength, joy and comfort.  I thought
of the goodness, greatness and the love of God and I realized
and received the "peace that passeth all understanding."  And
all because I looked for and saw those things that afford such
blessings.

     Dear reader, there is always something beautiful and wond-
erful God has provided for us.  It abounds all around us.  But
sight is the important factor in determining the quality of mind and life.  
Only if we are determined to look for and see
these wonderous gifts of God will we receive His true bless-
ings.   --------- Leo Rogol.
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