Lessons in Vision, Part Four
A couple weeks ago, my 7-year old niece Vanessa and I were getting bundled up to spend some quality time together outside. It had already snowed about 9 inches, and was still snowing. Because it was really bright outside, I wore my sunglasses. (If you look at this picture of us, you can see them on top of my head.)
We walked through the snow for about 20 minutes, and made it to the park. After swinging on the swings for a bit together, I took my sunglasses off so I could take a few pictures.
When Vanessa asked if she could wear my sunglasses, I didn’t hesitate to give them to her. Seconds after she put them on, with surprise in her voice, she dramatically said, “Auntie Jenn, these glasses make everything look so different! Everything is so pretty! I feel like I am looking at Heaven!”
She was so cute that I literally laughed out loud at her reaction!
She looked around for another minute, then gave them back and continued playing.
A little while later, I asked her if she wanted to wear them again. She said, “Nah. It makes things pretty, but I want to see how they really look instead.”
Her reaction to seeing things through those sunglasses has come to my mind several times since then.
It made me think of the Biblical applications to that cliché expression about “Rose-Colored Glasses”.
When someone thinks about or looks at something with rose-colored glasses, it means they are seeing things as better than they actually are. You see the beauty, but not the truth. You are making a choice to not accept what is true because it’s easier than taking an honest look inside.
So, I’m encouraging each of us today to CHECK YOUR VISION! Are you looking at things in your life through Rose-Colored Glasses? Many of us feel like, “No, I’m doing alright. I love God and I basically keep the 10 commandments. I haven’t done anything really bad.” But, the truth is that God sees sin as SIN. There is really no difference between a tiny white lie or murder. In fact, Scripture says that if we even hate others, we are guilty of murder.
I John 3:14-15 “We know that we have left our old dead condition and entered into new life. We know it because we love one another. Those who do not are still living in their old condition. Those who hate their brothers and sisters are murderers and do not have eternal life in them.”
It is SO easy to slip on those rosy glasses and not recognize the sins we are committing. But, we NEED TO TAKE THE GLASSES OFF, because those sins keep us from true fellowship with God! But, if we choose to recognize them, repent, and move forward, making changes with God’s strength, we will remain in His love and have joy overflowing.
John 15:10-11 says, “When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
Here is a list of reality checks for each of us:
• How competitive are you? Does it bother you when someone else wins? = Jealousy
• Have you not done something that you said you would, or broken agreements you have made? = Hypocrisy
• Do you remember to say “thank you” to others and to God? = Ungrateful
• Have you thought “it just isn’t fair, that they…?” = Envy
• Do you throw out insults instead of encouraging others? = Malicious
• Are you afraid how circumstances will turn out? = Worry
• Do you find yourself snapping at others or holding onto something another has done to you? = Bitterness
• Do you use “Oh my God,” or in text “omg” instead of only using His name reverently? = Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain
• Have you taken something that isn’t yours at work, like food from the fridge or office supplies? = Stealing
• Have you found yourself saying something harmful about someone else, maybe saying things that don’t know for sure are true? = Blaspheming
• Have you complained about something that someone else did without knowing why they really did it? = Slander
• Do you only tell half the truth sometimes or leave things out on purpose? = Lying
I want to encourage you to quiet yourself before the Lord. Ask Him to reveal to you any areas of your life where you are not being honest with yourself. Listen for His still small voice. He will help you to take off those rosy glasses to see what you need to change.
Sometimes, He will do this through His Words in Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
Sometimes God will use other people in your life. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “So we are Christ's official messengers. It is as if God were making his appeal through us. Here is what Christ wants us to beg you to do. Come back to God!”
SO ~ my brothers and sisters in Christ ~ I want to leave you with a verse of encouragement. Although it is Paul writing to Timothy, we know and believe that it is the inspired Word of God, and is still for each of us today. 1 Timothy 6:11 says “Run away from all of those things. Try hard to do what is right and godly. Have faith, love and gentleness. Hold on to what you believe.”
(I just HAD to add this photo of Vanessa here!
It's from this past summer...she's SO cute!)
