Eyes Shut

Eyes Shut

“you'll miss the best things, 

if you keep your eyes shut”

 ~Dr. Seuss~ 

  

    Today I went to my Godson’s school for a family day event and on their walls they have different quotes from Dr. Seuss and I came across one that said “you’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut”. This of course got me thinking about all those things that pass us by and we never see because our eyes are shut. There are a couple ways that our eyes become shut and it is both a spiritual shutting of the eyes of our souls and physical shutting of our eyes. 

   The first is that physical closing of our eyes. Sometimes it is to block out an image that is unsettling or out of fear. When we do this we can miss the chance to become active and face what is before us. There are many things we see that are unsettling. The homeless. War. Abuse. Hunger. Devastation. Hate. Suffering. Pain. People in Need. All of these and many more can trigger that voice within us to become active. Go and help those in need. Yet, if we close our eyes to the needs before us, how are we being like Jesus in the world. He saw those in need and helped them. It is easy to close our eyes and look in a different direction so all we see is the world we want to see. A world that all is ok and no one is in need. A perfect example for myself was that I was someone who believed in a women’s right to choose when it came to abortion. I closed my eyes to the reality of abortion and it wasn’t until I saw the video “Silent Scream” that my “eyes were opened” to the reality of abortion. If I never had or allowed that moment where my eyes could be open, I may still feel the way I did. Sometimes it is out of fear that we close our eyes. If we speak up about what we see, then maybe people will not like us, maybe our lives have to change, maybe we have to go against the majority. If we let fear close our eyes then who will stand up for truth and for those in need. In todays world we need to keep our eyes wide open to see when we can be the hands and feet of Jesus. 

    When we shut the eyes of our souls, we miss God in the world. We can miss what He is trying to tell us or show us. When I was away from God, those eyes were closed tightly by me. I couldn’t allow that sight to be seen because I didn’t want to see Him anywhere. This made my actions easier to do. If I had them opened then I do not think I would have been away for as long as I was or even at all. I can look back with my soul’s eyes opened and I see where He was during that time. For me I tend to “hear” God more through images and things around me. I see the signs of God more then the voice of God. Sometimes God is showing us things that are things we need to act on, change or acknowledge. If our eyes are closed then we are missing the chance to experience God. We set a block between us and makes it harder for God to reach us and in that we distance our selves from His love and grace. God wants to use our senses to bring us to a place closer to Him and His will. Closing our “spiritual eyes” creates a darkness and we are to live in the light.

    Shutting our eyes keeps us in the dark and we miss what God has to offer us. It may be the opportunity to help those in need, to find our path to Him, to see God in the world, to see a blessing, etc.. that we miss. Don’t let fear or misunderstandings  shut your eyes to the world or to God. It is better to see then be in the dark and forever wonder what you missed. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may your eyes be always opened and looking to the Heavens.