Many seeing people don’t understand what it’s like to be blind. Blindness is a spectrum. At the most extreme end a blind person doesn’t see blackness—they see colors and brightness unrelated to the scenery around them. The rest of the spectrum is various qualities of sight—from minimal perception to 20/20 vision. But most people who are legally blind can see more than most realize.
Sight and blindness is a common metaphor for life that has found its way into songs, literature, and figures of speech. Perhaps you’re familiar with the line in the song “Amazing Grace” which says, “I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.” What does this metaphor mean as it relates to life?
We are born into this world without any understanding of life. Like a blind person unable to clearly distinguish shapes and colors, we begin life without any understanding of who we are, why we exist, our purpose, or how to live. As we grow, we learn to navigate the world, communicate, use objects around us, and so on. But there are always lingering questions about life that usually go unanswered. We live with blind spots.
And like a blind person, we do what we must to survive. We define life in ways that help us cope. We live based on our senses and how we feel. Our view of the world is based on what makes sense to us. We collect our experiences into a functional collage. But if we thought about it we would admit it doesn’t all fit and make sense. There are too many blank spaces. And so we find ourselves bumping into people and not understanding why things happen or why people do what they do.
But what if this vast and complex world came with an instruction manual. Imagine if the Author of life provided us with all the answers we need to understand Him, ourselves, and everything we encounter in life. That book would no doubt be the most treasured book in history. It would be the top-selling book year after year. It would be translated in just about every language known to man. It would be readable by children and cherished by the aged.
If there was a book that removed the blinders, gave us understanding beyond our finite perspective, and enabled us to experience the love, joy, and fulfillment we were designed to experience, wouldn’t you want to read it?
You can. It’s called the Bible. Christians call it God’s Word because while it was penned by over 40 authors spanning 1,500 years, its message, accuracy, and relevancy prove that God superintended its writing to ensure that what they wrote is precisely what we need to know.
If you’ve not read the Bible, consider picking it up and starting with the Gospel of John in the New Testament. You may find that it opens your eyes to things you haven’t seen before.
Gabriel Powell is an Associate Pastor at Hope Bible Church in Columbia, Maryland. He serves there as a biblical counselor, ministering to people seeking biblical answers to modern problems.