The Smallest Line
Scripture Reading — Mark 8:22-26
He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
If you have ever had a vision test, you probably recall being asked to read the smallest line that you can see clearly on an eye chart. Then you may have received eyedrops and additional tests to determine the best optics for you. When you look through a series of lenses, you tell the doctor which ones are blurry or clear, and adjustments are made to achieve the right focus. The results will determine whether or not you need corrective lenses. But if you are not honest about what you see, you are not helping the doctor or yourself.
When Jesus walked along the street into Bethsaida, he was interrupted by the friends of a man who was blind, asking Jesus to heal him. Jesus spat and put his hands on the man’s eyes. He asked the man what he could see. The man’s response was honest, and he talked about seeing people that looked like walking trees. There was vision, but it was not yet clear. Jesus touched the man a second time, and his vision became clear.
There are times when we do not see clearly, even though we know Jesus is making changes for us. Sometimes we stumble along with blurred vision. That is usually our problem. We need to follow Jesus carefully, and we need to ask him to continue working in our situations so that we too can see clearly.
Dear Jesus, thank you for continually working in us and helping us to see. Thank you for listening to the interruptions of friends. May our vision for following you be clear and bright. In your name, Amen.
About the author — Beth Fellinger
Pastor Beth Fellinger is a wife, mother, and grandmother who has more than 40 years of experience in pastoral ministry. She and her husband, Barry, have created a missional community in their neighborhood called the Ugly Couch Cafe. From serving coffee at a blue picnic table on their front lawn, to praying with neighbors, to hosting faith gatherings on a weekly basis, the Ugly Couch Cafe has grown—and nothing gives Beth greater joy than introducing people to Jesus.
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