Ever had Lasik surgery? It’s a total trip. They put you in a room and have you watch a video about the 40 million ways you could go blind. After the video, when you’re thoroughly convinced this is something you should NOT do, they give you a valium and begin!
At least that’s how it went for me. I had it done twice. Once in 2000 and once in 2006. I’m sure technology has come a long way since then, but my friend’s son had it done the other day and it pretty much sounded the same.
But here’s the thing. When it’s over, you can see like you’ve never seen before. Perfect vision. My friend said her son (who is in college) was like a little kid on Christmas morning. He looked out the window in amazement and kept saying, “Wow! Look at how clear everything is!”
I remember that feeling. It was truly amazing. Then I hit 40 and the wheels started falling off the bus and now I have to wear old people glasses to read anything smaller than a size 14 font.
I’ll never have perfect vision in my eyes again, but I’m still striving for it in my heart.
Perfect vision in our eyes means we can read all the words on the page and see the TV from across the room.
Perfect vision in our hearts means we can read all the ways people are hurting and see how we can help them.
I think perfect vision is the way in which God sees us. Through the lens of love. He doesn’t see us as blurry beings, full of sinful thoughts and bad behavior. He sees us as His precious creation, whom He loves to spend time with, who absolutely delight Him.
Is that the way you see the people around you? As precious and delightful? Me neither.
That’s why I’m asking God to use this next year to do a major surgery on my heart so my eyes can see people the way He sees them. I’m asking for the lens of love. How about you?
When the year 20/20 comes, regardless of what our recent eye exam says, with God’s help maybe you and I will go blind to people’s flaws and finally be able to claim His Perfect Vision.