How's your "I"-sight

As promised this blog is on 'I'-sight. One of the finest professors I ever had, Dr. William Coble, summed up the Christian life in this fashion, it is the challenge between "ego-centrism" and "Christo-centrism". In the twenty years since I heard those words I have continually been impressed with the truth of that simple expression. Pamphlets like "My Heart His Home" and illustrations like "Christ on Your Throne" discuss the same point.

The main problem with humanity in non-theological language is self-centeredness. The biblical solution to humanity's main problem is self-death. The language of life and death in the New Testament is rarely non-symbolic. Yes people are born and they die, but that is not the New Testament's concern when using this language.

Instead, the New Testament's message is about "dying to self" or "crucified with Christ" or "dead in Christ", none of which refer to the cessation of brain waves and heartbeat. The New Testament is about learning a new way of living, a "self-less" way of living. There are very few things sadder in life than a child who has been doted on by parents and family and "rules the roost" and believes that the world revolves around him or her, unless it is an adult who continues to hold this childish self-centeredness.

At some point in one's life the opportunity arises to commit a selfless act for someone else. The first result of that action is usually an indescribable sense of accomplishment and well-being. Acting for the benefit of another actually enriches us personally. Parents are aware of this, although I suspect that this is one of the secrets of grandparenthood! However, most of us go through our existence here on earth not fully learning or benefiting from this principle. In a basic sense we lead a life-less existence.

So, the question is "How is your 'I'-sight?" Are you myopic with the ability to only see yourself? Are you hyperopic with no ability to focus on the things closest to you? In reality, we are all dysfunctional when it comes to our 'I'-sight. We don't have 20/20 vision and either miss the other or ourself in the picture.

The Bible helps us to see clearly and corrects our vision when it is faulty if we allow it to be our 'I'doctor.

How's YOUR eyesight?

Thanks for asking! Mine is a bit confused. I have had the pleasure of sitting under the eye drop giving hands on nurses, nurse anesthetists, and MD's who shine bright lights in my eye and remove the lens that permits the light to refract and bounce upon my retina. One eye sees very well and the other is not quite as advertised, (yet). So what does this have to say about the Bible?

I'm glad you asked! Having worn glasses since 2nd grade (spring of 1968 for those asking) I would often compare the transformation that God makes in us as "corrective lenses" because that was the only kind of vision illustration I could muster. But I was soooo very wrooong!

My nearsightedness (myopia) permitted me to examine things up close without any correction lenses so that I could read pill bottles, food ingredients, calorie counts and the like even without my glasses--no I never wore contact lenses because I also had severe astigmatism. However, I could not look at my wife across the table (actually a foot away!) and see her clearly without my glasses. I would think about God's changes in my life as "corrective" enabling me to see clearly what I previously could not.

But having the recent cataract removals and lens implants in my eyes has changed my opinion. Now I am farsighted (hyperopic) and my entire life has changed. I can no longer bring a newspaper closer to my face to read the small print on the comic page. I can no longer expect that a drawing near will result in a seeing clear. My eyesight has been turned upside down!

The positive advantage is that I can now look at my wife across the table and see her beauty clearly without glasses. I can work around the house or yard and not have the perspiration of my brow drip down over the corrective lenses and create blurred vision. My perspective on the world is entirely different.

So the Bible works not as a corrective to how we see the world--I'm certain there is a theological term for this kind of thought--but to completely alter our way of seeing in an entirely unimaginable way. I could never have mentally comprehended what it was like to see objects clearly at great distances prior to my surgery. Not only does the Bible alter our way of seeing it also changes our way of acting. I could never imagine that I could not read the comics by putting my face closer to them.

The challenge comes now in changing my actions that help me see. The challenge of the Bible comes in changing my actions that help me believe!

More on "I-sight" next time.