Do Your Lenses Correct or Protect?
It wasn’t all that easy to figure out at the time, but you know what they say, hindsight is 20/20. I’m one of those people who likes looking back on things, replaying them in my mind. You know the type. It’s not like regret is my middle name, it’s just that I like to understand why things happened the way they did. Looking back drives my husband nuts! He likes to look ahead and keep on going because, says he, “You can’t do much about what’s already been done.”
“Who made you God?” is a question that can be asked when scenarios are replayed one too many times as a means to wish this or that could, would have, or should have been prevented. Had I only been there a few minutes earlier. If only I had called them when I was thinking about them—I know I could have made a difference. If only I had gone to that college instead of the one chosen, I’m sure I would have had my head on straighter a little sooner than later. These thoughts can paralyze but sometimes, when the mind gets going—there’s just no stopping it.
Take corrective lenses for example. They are put on and worn for a reason. It’s to bring clarity to the situation, not to make up a whole scenario of what one is actually looking at. The Truth is, when we have the correct prescription, we see things more clearly. In this sense, corrective lenses also protect. They protect us from skewed vision. However, the reverse must also be stated, thus, underscoring the difference between corrective lenses and protective lenses. In this then we must clarify that although all corrective lenses protect, not all protective lenses—correct. Hang in there with me.
You see, protective lenses protect things from flying under the radar and into your eye. That’s it. They are not prescription and thus, cannot correct visual impairment. Case in point. Our son was sawing away one day and in order to get-er-done with little hands all around, he needed to take some precautions. When sawing the wood, he placed protective lenses on the eyes of the little ones on deck. Mission accomplished with no damage done. The lenses protected.
Whereas, while I was walking down the street, I needed my lenses to magnify. Seeing the street names and number helped me to not make a wrong turn or enter that which was not mine to enter into. Had I merely put on protective lenses, they would not have magnified that which I needed to see.
There is yet another sort of visual help which both magnifies and protects. It is granted to all who ask. What is that? It is the gift of wisdom. Wisdom helps give sight or insight into how God sees things rather than how we perceive them to be. See for yourself in James 1:5 where is says that God Himself is the source of true wisdom, “giving it generously to those who ask with faith.”
Then, there are the benefits of wisdom when seeing things through the eyes of Christ. Proverbs 8:35 says that “those who find wisdom, find life.” I suppose finding things is a good thing and without the proper lens, we do not see clearly. Lord, we pray for Wisdom. We pray to see clearly through the protective lens of Your Word. May it magnify as “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” (Psalm 119:105). Amen.
Kathleen Kjolhaug
This article was first published in Theology in the Trenches, a column written by Kathleen Kjolhaug. Posted with permission. Read more articles on her blog, Theology in the Trenches.
