On A Clear Day

I think the words go, on a clear day you can see forever but our view yesterday was far from clear.

This is what we saw from the windows of the truck as we drove from Idaho to Nevada. Smoke from the fires is everywhere. We planned our trip home through areas we haven’t been to before and wanted to see the ranch country of Jordan Valley and around Winnemucca. Guess we’ll save that for another trip.

But all that smoke got me to thinking about what it’s like to have a foggy mind and not be clear headed. There’s a lot of that going around these days. People doing and saying things that are irrational and selfish.

If we’d all just take time to think a bit more before we open our mouths. Jesus was giving some instruction to His followers about this very thing.

Everyone was so eager to correct their neighbors, family members and co-workers that Jesus had to explain to them the importance of removing offensive actions from their own lives before they started “Helping” others see their faults.

I think there’s a lesson here for all of us.  We seem to make allowances for our own actions that we aren’t willing to concede to others.

“Why do you say to your friend, ‘Let me take that piece of dust out of your eye’? Look at yourself first! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. ⁵ You are a hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to get the dust out of your friend’s eye.” Matthew 7:4-5 ERV

The Apostle Paul wrote all about love in the 13th chapter of I Corinthians. I’ve shared it with you on numerous occasions. He tells us that love is gentle, kind, not jealous, overlooks wrong actions, doesn’t keep score. And then he ends is definition of love by saying that it never fails.

I will admit we will never be able to live this life of love perfectly but that doesn’t mean we quit trying. Paul goes on to say a few verses later that as we mature we will put away foolish thinking or as I like to call it selfishness. There is nothing more foolish than a “me” centered life. Paul tells us that kind of living is like looking into a dark or smoky mirror. Our vision of what is true and real is obscured.

But…he goes on to say, that when we look into Jesus face we will see clearly. Now I do believe that this verse is making reference to how things will be in heaven but they also apply to how things should be here on earth. When we look closely at Jesus we see how everything he said and did was motivated by love. As we grow and mature we will see that our lives are also reflecting more of His love.

“When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. ¹² Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture  in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.” I Corinthians 13:11-12 CEV

One more Biblical example on being able to see clearly. It comes from the Old Testament. Moses had just led the Jews out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. They were wandering in the Sinai Desert. The Lord sent a pillar, a cloud to cover them in the day to protect them from the overwhelming heat and He sent a pillar or cloud of fire to protect them at night from the bitter cold.

“The Lord went before them, in a pillar of cloud during the day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire during the night to give them light. So they could travel day and night. ²² The pillar of cloud during the day and the pillar of fire during the night did not leave the people.” Exodus 13:21-22 NLV

God’s love was displayed in the fire. It made it possible for the Israelites to see clearly at night. God is still displaying His love to us. He wants us to see clearly. He doesn’t want us to stumble or fall in the dark.

Thank you Lord for letting me see Your love clearly. For lighting my way and keeping me out of the smoke and the fog.