“Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
We're not blind are we? Well it would explain all these pits we keep falling in. On our own we can't avoid even the largest pit that yawns hungrily before us. Even those of us on the path are more like the man who is healed in stages where first he sees blurry shapes like trees rather than things as they are (cf. Mar. 8:24).
Our reason is blind to the deeper truths of existence. We think we see, but if our vision doesn't penetrate to the essence of things it only perceives the shifting accidents of appearance. We have trouble penetrating so deeply because we are blinded by all of the wooden beams in our eyes.
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
When we see other people sinning we like to think that if they just took our advice they would be able to avoid the pit. But none of us has eyes which are entirely clear. We are all blind guides until we become "fully trained". Paul is an example of someone who thinks he has clear sight but is in fact blind. Being struck blind at his conversion on the road to Damascus merely makes his internal condition externally real. But the LORD is not content to leave him thus. Nor is he with us.
I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord,
because he considered me trustworthy
in appointing me to the ministry.
I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
The LORD knows of our blindness and ignorance and he responds with mercy and strength for us so that one day "every disciple will be like his teacher." The teacher is the one who sees clearly. We begin to see clearly when we fix our gaze on him.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
As we look upon him he guides our vision to see as we are meant to see.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
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