Dear Rose Park,
If you didn’t know I wear glasses. I don’t wear them often, even though I should. I first noticed my vision becoming a bit blurry during my senior year at Hope College. As I was stood in Dimnent Memorial Chapel, I noticed the words on the projection screen during worship seemed to have an extra layer. It took a few months, but I eventually had an eye exam and purchased my first pair of glasses. This past week, I had to order my third pair.
I ordered my second pair while living in Iowa just to upgrade. The third pair is different. To make a long story short: I forgot I had my glasses propped on my hat as I walked our golden retriever Rudy. I bent down to pick up after her, the glasses must have fallen off, and I didn’t realize it. Almost four days later, Sam is walking Rudy and finds my glasses two blocks away from our house completely broken. This was almost six weeks ago, I just ordered my third pair a few days ago. In the meantime I’ve been wearing my first pair of glasses with an out of date prescription. What took me so long to order the third pair?
If I had to self-analyze: it was just easier to go back to what I had rather than jump through the hoops of getting something new (i.e. another eye exam, prescriptions, trying on new glasses, etc.). It was just easier to go back to what I had. I don’t mean to overextend this simple truth or project my own feelings onto you, but I’d imagine many of us use this same logic in various circumstances. Rather than make positive changes and confront the difficulty of a relationship, we just go back to the way it was. Rather than challenge ourselves to grow mentally, physically, or emotionally, we just go back to what we’ve always been doing. Rather than step out in faith to where God is calling us, we just go back to where we’ve always been.
I’m not a psychologist. I don’t pretend to be one. I don’t play one on television. Do we do this because we’re afraid of change? Is it just easier to do the same thing? Do our past experiences cast either a false sense of hope or a shadow of doubt on our future vision? It’s possible it could be one or all of these areas. But for some reason or another, “the way it’s always been” seems to cloud our vision for the future. If that’s the case, then I suggest we get some new glasses.
I’m not talking about Ray-Bans, Oakley, or even Warby Parker. I’m suggesting we begin to see the world through the lens of scripture. When we do, we will begin to see the world the way Jesus does; not as a place of brokenness and sinfulness without hope, but rather as a place that is “filled with the steadfast love of the Lord” (Ps. 33:5). When we see the world through the lens of scripture we will be able to honor and learn from the past while also embracing a new future. Whether this is a new future for the church, a relationship, a career path, or even a college major when we see the world through the lens of God’s passionate grace, unconditional love, and eternal truth we will be able to honor our past and embrace our future.
So, whether you have 20-20 vision or you just found your frames two blocks away completely broken, it’s time to get some new glasses.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark