Eyesight

My eyesight has always been pretty good. I’ve never needed glasses or contacts, and my eyes have never bothered me all that much, for which I’ve been thankful. However, I noticed about two years ago that driving at night was getting a little bit more difficult and sometimes things were just a tad blurrier than they used to be when reading. It wasn’t real noticeable most of the time, just when I was tired or had been reading or on the computer a lot, so I was pretty sure it was just eye strain and tiredness. And driving at night had always been more difficult than during the day for me. Something about all the lights running together and my depth perception isn’t as clear, so I don’t like driving much when the sun goes down. I do it, but I don’t like it.

Anyway, after a few weeks of noticing the eye strain thing I made an appointment to have my eyes checked. Of course, the doctor kind of treated me like she couldn’t figure out why in the world I was in her office because my vision was fine. I hate that. Not that my vision was fine, but the way doctors tend to treat us when we go for preventative care. Not the point of this post, but it felt good to mention that little trivial fact. She did say that it was probably eye strain and that perhaps a very minor correction was needed, such that could be remedied with a pair of over-the-counter reading glasses to be used when reading and on the computer. So, I bought a pair and used them for a little while and then misplaced them and didn’t bother too much about remembering them for a longer while.

I turned 36 last May, and wrote at the time what a weird age that is for me. I’ve gotten used to the fact that every day is a step closer in the ever continuing march toward 40 and beyond, as long as the Lord wills. As a little aside, I don’t really know why it isn’t until our mid-30’s that we tend to get antsy about that little fact. If you think about it, we’re born dying, right? Our days are all numbered, and it’s good to remember Who knows the number of our days and to know and worship Him, through faith in Jesus Christ alone. What peace to know I am reconciled to God and do not have to fear the age of 40 or any other age, and also a good reminder to make the most of the days we have been given.

But, having reached the latter half of my 30’s (that’s still hard to wrap my brain around, by the way), I have begun to notice more eye strain again. I’ve heard that this is about the age when that begins to happen, and, here we are. I have noticed, especially since I took up blogging, that if I forget to wear reading glasses and spend too much time staring at the computer screen, my eyes do go a little blurry later in the day. Reading is just a little harder and my eyes feel tired. So, I got a new pair of reading glasses, and I am doing a better job of not losing them. Also, M had a homework assignment the other day to have a parent (me!) look at a nickel with him and help him to write who was on the heads side and what was on the tails side. Well, I remembered that Thomas Jefferson is the man and knew it was his house on the tails side but couldn’t remember the name of it. When I looked at the tails side, I could see there was a word there under the image of the building, but for all the squinting I could muster, I couldn’t read it. That is a first for me. Out came the reading glasses, and “Monticello” was clear as could be.

I’m not relating all this to complain. On the contrary, I realized something rather profound in thinking about this, actually. While it may be a normal fact of physical aging that leads our eyes to weaken and strain, it should not be a normal fact of physical aging for our spiritual eyes to dim. No matter what happens to our physical body, our spiritual eyes ought to be growing sharper and more focused, yes? The longer we walk with Jesus, and study His word and expose ourselves to good teaching of His word and to prayer, we should begin to have a sharper and deeper understanding of those truths He has revealed to us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit in those who are trusting Christ, we grow in understanding and wisdom and in knowing how to study His word well.

And with that sharper spiritual eyesight, we grow in our ability to serve and to teach others. We shouldn’t just be learning so we can soak in the beauty of the Word all for ourselves, but we have the incredible privilege to share the insights God is giving us with others who are newer to the faith, or to witness of the wonderful hope of the gospel to those who do not know Him. What a joy! Just as our physical eyes feast on the beauty of a rainbow or a sunset or the myriad wonderful beauties around us, so our spiritual eyes can feast on the beauty of Truth as we mine the depths of God’s word and spend time with Him in prayer. Just as our physical eyes help us to see dangers ahead on the road as we travel or help us to point out the beauties we behold to others, our spiritual eyes as we mature in understanding can help us do the same for people we meet who need to hear the gospel and for fellow believers who are longing to grow in the faith.

We women who have grown in the faith, and are continuing to grow, are charged to teach the younger women. What a privilege and a blessing this is. I pray that I will take that charge more seriously and seek to keep my spiritual eyes clear and focused on my Redeemer so that I may be prepared to teach and reach those He places in my sphere of influence, always ready to give an answer for the hope that is within me with gentleness and respect.

1 Corinthians 14:20
“Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.”