The eyes have it

   When I was a young boy, I learned that my step-father suffered from an eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa. It's a pretty horrible condition which, over a long period of time, leads to complete blindness in it's victims. It begins with reduced peripheral vision that gradually works it's way toward the center of one's field of vision, steadily growing darker and darker as time goes by. There's no cure for the condition, and complete blindness will occur gradually, over a few decades, like a lamp slowly burning out.
   What I learned during my teenage years was that even though his vision grew worse and worse, I seemed to be able to get away with less and less. Not that I would ever do anything wrong or disobedient. After all, those who know me well know that I was downright angelic as a young man.
   What I saw first hand was the way that one's body reacts when one of our senses are lost. The other sense become more keen to compensate for the loss of another. My step-father couldn't see me if I stood to his side, but it always seemed as though he could hear me blink 4 miles away. If one of my buddies were to twist both of my arms behind my back and force me to drink or smoke a cigarette, (Because I would never have done any of those things without being severely threatened first) he could smell it on my breath up to 6 weeks later.

   Of course, I'm exaggerating, but that's how it seemed at times.

   Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation with someone and found yourself completing their sentences for them as if you had the ability to read their mind? We all have, haven't we? Maybe it's because we've known that person for a very long time, and we believe we know where they're going with a thought before they even say it. Sure, there are times when that's very true, but how many times have you done this only to find out that you weren't even close?
   I saw a picture a few weeks ago that made me laugh out loud. It was a picture of a man pointing at himself with a surprised look on his face, and underneath was written: "Oh, I'm sorry. Did the middle of my sentence interrupt the beginning of yours?" Funny as that may be, it's really embarassing when we get caught doing that to someone. It makes us feel rude, and it makes them feel unimportant at the least.

   As I was thinking this over, I began to wonder if, just like my step-father felt his sense of hearing and smell improve as his vision grew worse, how much more would we see and hear if we just stopped talking and began to really listen to others? To really hear their words, see their body language and facial expressions as they spoke, and allowed ourselves to sense what they might be feeling? How would that change our relationships?

   As I write these things, I feel a great deal of conviction in saying them. I have been so incredibly guilty of not listening, not seeing, not hearing. Anyone who knows me well knows that, well, I can talk until I pass out from lack of breath. If you're able to get a word in edge-wise when I'm on a roll, congratulations..........you've joined a very rare and elite group. But I remember conversations I've had when I've failed to understand someone's heart - not because I wasn't capable - but because I just didn't stop long enough to really listen. This has led to many regrets and misunderstandings in my life, as I'm sure it has for you also.

   Jesus felt the frustration many times when those around Him, for whatever the reason, were so locked into what they assumed He was saying that they missed the point completely. In Mark 8:18, He said;

"Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember?"

   You see, this isn't a new problem in our world. It's been going on since the beginning of time. People assume, but fail to ask. People have eyes, but fail to see. They have ears, but fail to hear. They don't remember.

   We all want to feel as though we're understood. But before we can be ever be fully understood, we truly need to take the time to listen, to hear, and to understand. This not only applies to our relationship with others, but also in our relationship with God.
   Make an effort to really hear those around you, and take some time to be silent and still, and really listen to God. Our prayers, while very well intended, can often be just a matter of us reciting our laundry list of cares and concerns. But that's not a relationship. That's dictation. Be stiil, be silent, and simply ask God what He wants you to hear. You'll be amazed at how He may respond.