Blinded by the Night

 

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.  But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense- Jesus Christ, the righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but for the sins of the whole world.  We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.  The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:  Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning.  The old command is the message you have heard.  Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.  Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.  But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded him.” I John 2:1-11

I remember one night the power went out, on a cloudy night so dark I could not even see the glow of the moon or stars.  Everything was pitch black.  I remember thinking this must be what it feels like to be totally blind.  I stumbled around in the dark house, running into the rocking chair, stepping on a matchbox car and other toys.  The power had gone out before the pre-bed tidy up.  I was in danger of breaking my neck! Things that would have no power to harm me in the light of day, now had the capacity put me on the floor.

Darkness changes your perspective.  After we sit in darkness for a while, our eyes adjust to it and it no longer seems as dark.  If this is happening in the spirit, beware!  You are in danger.  We cannot afford to have the darkness blind us.  We cannot afford to lose our perspective and ability to see the things that can level us. 

I have had the opportunity over the years to talk to people who have become spiritually blind.  Talking to these people is like talking to a post!  They cannot hear you or a word of rebuke or admonishment.  They are so convinced that what they want and what they are doing is right, until they are unteachable; and therefore, unreachable.  Have you ever tried to reach someone who is addicted to substances (or other selfish behaviors) and the whole time you are talking with them, you sense they are conning you?  It is so difficult to help someone who will not be straight up with you or with themselves.  Spiritually blind people cannot see the consequences of their choices; they cannot see beyond the momentary pleasure that they perceive.  Or, as in the verse today, they are so blinded by hatred that they have lost their direction and ability to walk upright.

Choosing to endanger yourself, is a foolish choice.  Can I share a perverse desire of mine?  When we are experiencing a hurricane and the weather people are standing outside in 70 m.p.h. winds in their yellow rain slickers talking about the weather, there is something I want to see so bad I can taste it.  I want to see a garbage can lid come by and conk them on the head!  I told you it was perverse, but stupidity gets on my last nerve.  If you want to put yourself in danger, then you get what you deserve.  Those weathercasters can barely stand upright, they are pointing to automobiles moving under the tornado-force winds, and yet they stand out in it continuing to endanger themselves and the cameramen. Surely you have had similar thoughts…(?)

In the spirit we also do dumb things.  We hold a grudge, we refuse to forgive, we go after things that we know removes us from the ways of God.  We are playing with fire and too stubborn to admit it.  We are acting just as foolhardy as a person playing chicken with a train.

Dear Lord, show me where I am foolishly holding on to things that blind me to your truth.  Help me to forgive, no matter what people have done to me.  Help me to resist darkness, in favor of light.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri