Sight is Necessary.

Sight is necessary.

Whether it’s sight by natural senses or mental understanding, it is necessary.

2 Cor. 5:7 says, “For we live by faith, not by sight.”

I think this statement may have been stretched by many to mean that sight is of no value to Christians. Such deduction is so far from the truth.

As Christ once said that “man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”, I can say that man does not live by natural sight alone but by every revelation that God has implanted in the heart of man concerning his love for all mankind.

Sight may not be everything that exist, but it is crucial. As Elijah once asked God,

“Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

As Jesus once gave sight to the heart of the disciples,
“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)

He also said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

Many have not seen Jesus as a man sees another man in portrait. But the understanding that the Holy Spirit imparts to our hearts concerning Jesus helps us to grasp more than our natural mind would readily accept.

Sight is important.

Has it been religion’s subtle command to its followers to close their eyes, to dig a hole and bury their heads while injustice is rampant? Very much so.

This may be mostly the reason as to why many churches are advocating for representatives of injustice despite the blatant discriminatory policies that such representatives support.

If sight hadn’t mattered then telling those in need to “go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” (James 2:16) while doing nothing about their physical needs would find no rebuke by those who early served the gospel.

If we see the situation, if we see how bad it’s getting and all we’re saying is that we’re “living by faith and not by sight” to mean that what we see doesn’t matter, then we might as well go on defining the faith that we’re living by so that others understand what we mean by faith compared to their understanding of the purpose of faith.

What if the church was to stop all the long prayers, all the rehearsals, all the money collections, all the acquisition of buildings and larger buildings for one year to discuss the situations of their local community and together see hunger for what it is, together see addiction for what it is, together see hopelessness for what it is and together set a plan of actions to help others up with the very basic needs starting with love?

What if?

Thomas wasn’t the least of the disciples. Just because he asked to see so that he would believe was no different than what the other disciples had received without asking.

I can listen to sweet gospel songs all day long and totally forget about my situations. But, like the effect of anesthetics toward pain, those songs don’t take the problems away. They just temporarily redirect my attention to something else I maybe value.

And maybe timing is the issue with the way we’re trying to address whatever the challenging situation may be. Regardless of the anesthetics giving that temporary relief, the pains or issues still have to be addressed.

Don’t always close your eyes to forget about your problems as you’re often told. There’s a time to remember them so that you may know what you need to seek help for. There’s a time to forget about your problems and it may be right before you fall asleep or before joy spontaneously overwhelms you.. And God knows when to bring such to pass so that you may either sleep or dance and be refreshed to newly tackle the problems and get some new experiences as he takes you through paths toward resolving such problem.

Sight does matter. Keep your eyes open, as much as you can, and take action by seeking help. We may not live by sight as to lose hope because of what we’re seeing. But sight meshed with hope, following the faith that love brings, should be the next factor when it comes to service. Service to ourselves, service to others.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25)

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy.