As I came up with yesterday’s “Would You Rather” question, I felt that I had to put myself in both situations to really understand how different life would be, both without hearing and without sight. I imaginatively explored the different disabilities in my mind. How would I handle not being able to see my wife, my family? How would I function without being able to hear my friends and family talk to me, my favorite songs? Then, for some reason, my mind took an external turn.
I could visualize my life without sound, but with an ever-discriminating eye and I realized, this can’t be too different for the world watching me, watching us. It’s easy to not be engaged with someone, but still derive an opinion based on the actions we’ve witnessed them perform. It’s easy to drive anywhere and see the people who are in a hurry (and they often end up next to you at the next stop light). See, you’ve already probably thought of a time where you saw someone who was irritated, someone who was upset, without even having a conversation with them.
I think a problem we, as believers, are continually finding ourselves battling is that we think the world is listening to us talk about Christ, but in truth they already know who we are. This isn’t always a good thing. They’ve seen us avoid the poor, the sick, the hurting. They’ve born witness to our negligence of the hungry and homeless. We say things like, “We aren’t called to those people,” or “We have to go _______ (fill in the blank).” In truth, we are telling them that we are “called” to the rich and our comforts, the easy and uncomplicated. Even as I type this, I think about the 4 or 5 people I didn’t even look in the eye and tell them “hi” as I passed by them at work. Not strangers, but people I work with! Is it much different for you?
As the saying goes, “talk is cheap,” and so it is. But when it’s backed by actions, it becomes priceless.
If you look back up at the image at the top of the screen you’ll find two different images in the reflection of the binocular’s lenses. You probably noticed it when you first started reading this post…good. If you will glance back up at it, there are two things we can show the world: 1) the cross, Christ’s sacrifice through our own or 2) a finger that tells them that they aren’t worth the time and energy to love. There is a God, but he’s only for those who have stuff and just keep accumulating it. There is a God, but only for people who live in nice, big houses and drive nice cars. There is a God, but He’s not for them.
Think about this, you don’t have to post a comment on it, but apply it.
What picture does your life show to a deaf world?
