Diabetes
causes approximately 8,000 new cases of blindness per year in the US. According to Research to Prevent Blindness,
120,000 people within the US are currently blind due to glaucoma and 104,000
are legally blind because of age-related macular degeneration. In the US alone,
1,100,000 people are considered legally blind, while worldwide the number
reaches somewhere near 42,000,000.
I
suffer from near-sightedness. I also had a serious case of keratitis a few
years ago, putting me particularly at risk for blindness. Obviously, I prefer not to become an
addition to these statistics. For this reason I have spent time researching how
to have healthy vision (or in my case, as healthy as possible), but did you
know that healthy vision is not limited to only our physical well-being? That’s
right folks, we can become spiritually blind! Were you also aware there is a Research
to Prevent Spiritual Blindness? It contains information on the causes of
blindness, other types of visual impairing and the prevention of such.
Therefore speak I to them in
parables:because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do
they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see,
and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears
are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they
should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand
with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed
are your eyes, for they see:and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto
you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things
which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear,
and have not heard them
Matthew
13:13-17
Just as we go the eye doctor for
a physical eye exam we must go to the Word of God for a spiritual eye exam to
be sure we aren’t diagnosed with any of the following diseases.
1.
Blinded due to
leadership (Mat. 15:14), willfully rejecting the truth (2Cor. 4:4), or
prejudice (Joh. 1:11; Mat. 15:9).
2.
Out of
focus due to a confusion of physical and spiritual values (2
Cor. 4:18).
3.
Evil. Matthew
18:9 teaches that if our eye is evil, our whole body is evil.
4.
Lustful. We
cannot allow ourselves to harbor lustful eyes nor should we be responsible for
causing this fault (2Pet. 2:13-14; Mat. 5:28; 2Sam. 11:2-3). We also should
keep in mind that this eye disease is not limited to a fleshly lust, but also
to a carnal one. Lust of the eye is one of the devil’s main attractions.
5.
Downcast
because of a lack of faith. As Peter walked across the water, he
became afraid and began to sink (Mat. 14:25-30).
6.
Closed. The
source of this disease seems rather obvious, yet some close their eyes to the
truth and by extension, God (Luk. 19:41-42; Mat. 23:37). Some close their eyes
out of fear of the truth. Some close their eyes because they are too lazy to
study-Paul had trouble with the Thessalonians because they refused to study.
Some simply close their eyes out of indifference. Christians can be guilty of
closing their eyes too. In a literal example, while Paul was preaching, a man
closed his eyes and literally fell out the window! We must take care to keep
our eyes open not only physically but also to the suffering and needs of our
fellowman.
Let’s say we have been diagnosed
with one of these dreaded diseases. I have some great news, there is a
cure-which also doubles as preventative medicine!
1.
Anoint
thine eyes with eyesalve… Jesus is telling us to do what is necessary to
correct the problem.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold
tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou
mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and
anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Revelation
3:18
2.
Let God’s
will enlighten you through His word.
The eyes of your understanding
being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what
the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints
Ephesians
1:18
3. Become the apple
of God’s eye.
Keep me as the apple of the eye,
hide me under the shadow of thy wings
Psalm
17:8
What
we see depends mainly on what we look for.
-John Lubbock
Sources: http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/b/blindness/stats.htm