Visually Impaired - Martin Wiles

He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. Isaiah 53:3 NLT

Without them, my world is one big blob of indistinguishable faces and blurry images.

While some wear glasses with plastic frames simply because they think they are stylish, this wasn’t the case when I first got them. Wearing glasses wasn’t popular. The derogatory term for those who did was “four eyes.” I endured the agony of being labeled. I was visually impaired and could do nothing about it but endure the agony of rejection and blurriness.

By the time I was retirement age, things hadn’t changed much. My blurry world remained the same if I removed my glasses. Then, my cornea specialist diagnosed me as possibly having early stages of glaucoma. Additionally, he diagnosed me with dry-eye disease.

Many also rejected the Messiah because they were visually impaired—just not physically. Theirs was a spiritual impairment because they missed such prophecies as this one and majored on ones dealing with His conquering nature.

What caused them to be sighted but blind can bring the same result in our lives. Pride can lead to visual impairment. The ancient Jews were filled with it. Jesus illustrated their prideful nature by talking about a Pharisee and a tax collector who prayed in the Temple. The Pharisee thanked God he wasn’t like other people, especially the filthy tax collector standing in the corner.

Pride leads to trouble every time. It is one of those sins God particularly despises because of its bitter consequences. Pride makes us think we’re better than others for whatever reasons we can concoct. The sin of pride brought Adam and Eve’s downfall and will bring one to anyone who lets it creep into their lives.

Prejudice will also impair our spiritual vision. Most of the ancient Jews thought they were better than their Gentile neighbors. After all, God had chosen the Jews as his special possession. Although God had a unique plan for them, it included bringing Gentiles into God’s fold. Unfortunately, the Jews often ignored God’s plan because they thought they were superior.

Additionally, selfishness impairs our spiritual vision. When life is all about us, we won’t see God’s plan—even when it’s staring us in the face. Selfishness causes us to miss God’s best while keeping the focus on me, myself, and I.

Don’t walk around with spiritual blindness. Let God remove those things that keep you from seeing his best.  

Father, give me the courage to put away those things that would spiritually impair my vision. 

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Shunned - Martin Wiles

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! Acts 9:26 NLT

Growing up, I was shunned for all the wrong reasons.

Prior to high school, I did my best to live with integrity. I knew God had a plan for me. One would think a good clean-cut kid would have been readily accepted. It didn’t happen. My physique was nothing to brag about. When teams were picked for dodgeball or basketball, the team captains only picked me because they had run out of choices. Neither did my lazy classmates who didn’t like to do their homework or study for their tests enjoy my refusing to let them copy my work. Sometimes I was bullied. At other times, they just shunned me.

Saul planned to destroy this new movement called the Way. After meeting the risen Christ, however, he wanted to share this change with Jesus’ disciples. His anticipation was met with shunning. They didn’t trust him. What if his attempts were merely a ploy to expose believers so he could kill them? 

It is quite common for unbelievers to shun believers. Though Christ mandates us to love unbelievers and offer them an invitation to trust Christ, they often shun us in return—or at least the message we share. Jesus said many would walk the broad road to destruction. He also said believers would be persecuted just as he was.

Shunning can also come from other believers. Perhaps, like these early Christians were with Paul, they’re familiar with our past. They wonder whether we’ve really changed. Can they trust us to teach a class, work with the youth, or date their daughter? Though forgiven by God, our past can hang over our heads like an angry thundercloud.

The good news is that God never shuns those who come to him for forgiveness. When we fail, he continues to give us second chances. Regardless of how others might treat us, we can know we’re always loved and accepted by God.

When others shun you, remember God never will.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for Your forgiveness and for never turning us away when we come to You. 

Tweetable: Have you been shunned? 

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Those Ugly Labels - Martin Wiles

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 NLT

I took the label and went on my merry way.

Mid-term elections arrived. Although I don’t normally vote in them, I decided to vote this time. Several candidates were on the ballot who I wanted to cast my vote for. As I waited in line at my precinct, an older lady stood by to give to or paste on a sticker for those who voted.

My turn arrived, and I walked to the booth. After casting my ballot, I walked away. The elderly lady greeted me. I opened my coat, and she attached the sticker to my shirt. Then, I was off to work.

Later that day, a co-worker asked, “Did you take your grandchildren with you to vote?”

“No,” I said.

“I just wondered,” she said, “after what your sticker says.”

I looked at the sticker. It read, “Future Voter.”

I suppose everyone got the same label as I had. Maybe some of them were asked the same thing. How the mix up happened, I’m not sure, but I had been labeled something I wasn’t.

According to the gospel writer, anyone who trusts in Christ as their Savior is labeled a child of God. Welcomed into His family. No more an outcast … or an orphan. But a child, and a co-heir with Christ.

Labeling seems to be the human way. Divorced. Abused. Orphan. Homeless. Poor. Rich. Middle Class. Nice. Mean. Stuck up. Short. Fat. Blonde. The list is endless, and when we run out of labels, we invent more to fit the situation.

Labels aren’t necessarily bad … unless we develop stereotypes and then start treating people based on those stereotypes. This leads to unjust judging, which Jesus condemned. 

Child. Now, there’s a worthy label. I belong to someone—hopefully, parents who love me. And when we’re children of God, we don’t have to worry about the love, concern, and care. God loves His children, presently and eternally, and will give them all the essentials of a love relationship that they can’t find anywhere else. Further, He’ll provide all we need to accomplish His plan for us.

The old chant was wrong: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” They can, but only if we forget who we are in Christ.

When others label you unfairly, remember God’s label is the only one that counts.

Prayer: Father, when others label us with ugly labels, help us remember the label You give us: children.

Tweetable: Have you been labeled? 

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Flashback Friday - Defined Not Labeled - Martin Wiles

Defined Not Labeled 

I’ve been labeled a few times in my life; fortunately, none of them stuck. 

Growing up, I was labeled a PK (Preacher’s Kid). The label was accurate because my father was a preacher, but the label was designed to speak more than about who I was. PK’s are usually considered bad kids, and I lived up to the tag. Why I felt the need to act badly, I’m not sure. Perhaps because I wanted to demonstrate that I didn’t have to be good just because my father was a pastor.
  
And of course, there are other labels people might attempt to paste on others: porn addict, alcoholic, druggie, abuser, lawyer, doctor, teacher, slut, etc. But who I am is described by what Christ did on my behalf. Read more...

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Intimidated - Martin Wiles

As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me. Acts 22:6 NLT

“Intimidator.” He was once proud of the name—but not anymore.

Richard and his brothers had a reputation. Brawny and bad to the bone, they didn’t take nothing off of anybody. Messing with them was bad news. They would gladly take you down—for little or no reason at all. Their violent words were matched by violent behavior. Fights were their business, and they went looking for them. Richard wore his nickname well and was more than willing to show anyone why he had it—until someone more intimidating than he was showed up.

Richard discovered God wasn’t scared of him and was more than willing to fight for his soul. He couldn’t bully God . . . couldn’t even touch Him. But God could fight him in ways he couldn’t defend himself against. He could hurt his conscience and his heart. He could bring out the soft side of him that he let no one else see.

Richard still speaks about his nickname—but in the past tense. That’s who he was, but it’s not who he is now. He saw the light.

Paul saw a light too. He was also big and bad—but in the religious field. This new “Way”—Christianity, had to be stamped out. So he busied himself arresting Christians and dragging them off to jail where many of them were put to death. Until he saw the light. The same light Richard saw thousands of years later. The light of a greater “Intimidator.” An intimidator who informed him that he was traveling the wrong path.

God doesn’t intimidate with catcalls, fights, and threats. He intimidates with the truth about me. I’m a sinner in need of help, and He’s the only One who can assist me. I can’t work to be good enough for Him to accept. Someone better than me—someone perfect, had to suffer for my sins. And in His love, God allowed His Son to take my place on a rugged cross. All He asks for in return is my love and obedience.

Relationship was why God created humans in the beginning and why He died for them in the end. No matter how intimidating I may try to be, I cannot out intimidate God’s truth about who I am and what I need to do.

Feeling intimidated? Accept God’s truth, love the Great Lover, and experience life at its best.

Prayer: Father, we draw nigh unto You, for nothing else will satisfy the hole in our hearts. 

Tweetable: God created us for relationships. 

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