Speaking on a secular
level, if I want to avoid someone I don’t make eye contact with them. Unfortunately
we do something similar in the church when we don’t want to engage, or we’re uncomfortable
reaching out to others. Jesus could have sent his disciples to fetch Zacchaeus
out of the tree, or he could have come to the base of the tree and spoke
generically to those standing around and told them about his intentions.
However, “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to
him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5 NIV). As believers we often underestimate and
undervalue the importance of eye contact.
2 comments:
Gail;
-----You have ways of making giant statements. “We…underestimate…the importance of eye contact.” There is something about eye contact which seems to complete person to person communication. But those with eyes to see have the ability to make eye contact with the Lord. And to deliberately use those eyes to make that contact opens communication with Him widely.
-----So. What are “eyes to see”? Well, what are eyes? They are highly complex structures of cells forming membranes, muscles, light sensors, nerves, etc. working together in a manner which sends meaningful messages to the brain representing light patterns entering them. Then, what are “eyes to see“? They are a highly complex system of desires for truth, faith in truth’s perspicuity, attitudes about truth’s origination, drive to seek truth, meekness to follow clues found, corresponding efforts applied, etc. which all comprise such concepts as humility, goodness, godliness, and such.
-----Truth has awareness. I don’t just mean it has awareness in Jesus Christ who is the truth. Truth has awareness itself. But first, the Jesus part of it. I planned the fundamental part of my life God gives into our own hands for steerage before I graduated from high school, that is, I chose my basic path then. I was already a Christian, so truth was already a point to me. It was not enough for me to know that Jesus was truth. I did not want a relationship with that Christ was my Savior. I wanted relationship with Him. It made sense to me that knowing truth was knowing Him. So I decided that the fundamental path of my life on which would be all else that I do must be a continuous search for ever more and more truth. To be a student of life, I termed it, and then to let life teach me, since I already knew that Jesus Christ was life (that is, turning my “eyes to see” upon His eyes to see.) I have found it profoundly interesting over the decades since then how information has had a way of finding me. And not just any information, either, but information relevant to questions I had been asking, to pondering and meditations I had been making. It is almost as if someone knew when my perception was ripe for the right piece of information to advance a concept another step towards what‘s going on in this life. And I say this confidently because I know you know what I mean. You have a relationship with the truth too. It has been finding you too. You’ve probably just not thought of it in these terms, that truth has awareness. But I dare to think you experience what I mean.
-----His love overflows to those who do not know Him. The simple truth of the way things are also has awareness for those with eyes to find Christ. For the parts and pieces of truth fit together in only one way, like do the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. And as one is assembling a jigsaw puzzle, the emerging patterns of colors and especially the empty holes made by the found, surrounding pieces show you what to look for next. That is an awareness of truth. Then to go looking for the piece of the right shape and colors is having “eyes to see“. These are what we bring to find Him. Then having found Him, this are what we turn to look into His eyes. And it makes communication with Him all the more meaningful.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
Good thoughts Steve. I especially like the idea of "having a relationship with truth." Wow, interesting insight.
Gail
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