Like Trees, Walking

Just yesterday, my haus meri told me a very interesting something.

“Last week,” she said (in Tok Pisin), “you remember you let me borrow your jacket? Well, some people who saw me wearing it were shocked that a waitskin would give a me his clothes to wear.  But I told them that in Christ we are all one.  In Christ there is neither white nor black – we are all brothers and sisters.”

Who would have thought such a simple gesture could be used as a ministry opportunity?  And to think how many other opportunities like this I miss every day.

I’ve often thought we are all a bit like that man in Mark 8 whose vision is restored, but only partly at first.  He looks up, he sees for the first time, and he says, “I see people, but they look like trees walking.”  At this, Christ puts his hands on the man’s eyes a second time, and then “the man saw everything clearly.”

I do not think we will ever see everything clearly here on earth.  But acknowledging that our vision now is muddled and blurred – that men to us look a bit like walking trees – is where we must begin if we ever want our vision truly restored.

—

(As a side note, C.S. Lewis has a great story about vision.  It’s called “The Shoddy Lands,” and if you have the time, it’s well worth the read.)