| If you saw a blind person stumble and fall, how would you feel? What would you do? Your heart would go out to that person. Compassion would move you to do something. You wouldn’t stop to consider whether or not you were strong enough to help.
In 2 Corinthians 4:4 the Bible talks about a different kind of blindness. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” Some people are physically blind; many more people are spiritually blind.
Don’t you think it’s curious that on one hand we would rush to the aid of a physically blind person who stumbles, but when we see unbelievers walk into a wall of sin, stumble over a transgression, or head for a cliff completely unawares, we keep our distance? What’s more, few of us would scold a blind person for tripping over something he or she couldn’t see. But many of us are quick to berate unbelievers who bad-mouth the gospel or refuse to go to church. What do they know? They are spiritually blind!
Compassion is what’s needed, the godly compassion Jesus showed to people with blind eyes and blind hearts. If God made his light shine in our spiritually dark hearts, if someone once lifted us up out of darkness with a compassionate hand, isn’t it our turn to perform that same good deed for another person?
The “blind” need help. They need a hand. Today run to the aid of someone who cannot see through his or her sin. Don’t worry about whether you are able; trust God to provide you with the resources.
Father of light, help me to remember the pain and disorientation of living in darkness. Move me to show compassion to those who haven’t seen your light. |
