Perception and Reality

I was just looking at my glasses, seeing how they correct things to make them clear, but at the same time they also make things look farther away. So even though I am seeing clearly, I am not seeing reality. There has got to be a spiritual principle in there somewhere. :-)

I know I discovered this when I put on contacts and everything seemed so much closer, and then understood why when I jumped down from a height I aways hit sooner then I expected, my depth perception was off, based on the correction of my lenses. My depth perception was trained with perfect vision when iI was a child, and apparently still interprets my vision as if it were perfect vision. I would never had known my vision was off if I hadn't tried contacts (seeing differently).

This directly relates to our own perception of people, as we think we perceive things correctly, and judge accordingly. However, all our interpretation of what we see is based on previous experiences, so likely affected (corrected) in some way. We need to have another experience with seeing to see reality, and that is where the Holy Spirit guides us, giving us eyes to see from God's perspective. This is why its so important to listen to the Holy Spirit, to ask for His guidance, and then expect Him to lead us and guide us, as He wants us to see as He sees.

I was just reminded of these verses in Matthew - Matthew 7:3-5 NIV:
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? [4] How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

If we look at what Jesus is saying, remembering that they hadn't invented glasses to correct vision yet, He is talking about something that affects our vision, which would undoubtedly affect our view of everything. The Greek word translated plank in the NIV, actually is more closely translated log, or beam of wood. Talk about affecting ones vision, I would think that it more likely obscures one's vision. In essence, Jesus is saying that we are almost blind, but trying to be an eye doctors. We need to have our own blinders removed, and the best way to do that is to go tot he one who can heal blindness, and sees all things - Jesus.

I am sure my perception of the reality I live in is either obscured, or incorrectly affected by my own experiences. Lord, help me to see clearly, to listen to You and to trust Your description of reality, for my perception of reality is skewed. I want to see Lord.