Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. - Mark 8:25 (NIV)

For playground ball games in elementary school, I was always the last one chosen for a team. No one wanted me because I could never accurately hit or catch a ball. I was hurt by the rejection, but I was even more frustrated by my own clumsiness.

When I was a young adult, I found out that I needed glasses with prism lenses to correct my double vision. Without them, I had no depth perception. No wonder I struggled at ball games as a child! If my classmates had known about my vision problem, maybe they would have been more merciful. If I had known about it, I could have been more merciful toward myself.

Just as my classmates complained about me, I often criticize people — silently or even out loud — for their mystifying behavior: How can they act so foolishly? Don’t they see how they make trouble for themselves and everybody else? Then sometimes I discover what’s really going on in their lives. They may be going through a crisis at home, or maybe they’ve suffered a great personal loss.

Like the man in today’s scripture reading, I have not seen these people clearly but like “trees walking around.” I need Jesus’ help to see them fully — as real people who face real difficulties.

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, help me to see other people as you see them. Amen.

Amen!

Amen

Dear Lord, help me to see other people as you see them. I pray this from time to time - but not nearly enough. And to act on it - well... .

Amen!