I remember when I got progressive lenses. I had noticed some changes in my vision, so I went to the ophthalmologist. I told her that the words in my books were getting smaller and that my arms weren't long enough for me to read anymore. She smiled and said that it was time for progressive lenses.
Progressive. The word sounds so positive, so enticing.
But I knew better. Progressive lenses are essentially bifocals without the line. "And you don't want that line," she explained, "because then people will know that you're wearing bifocals."
"And you don't want people to know that you're wearing bifocals," she continued, "because then people will know that you've entered middle age."
Of course, my ophthalmologist at the time looked like she was fourteen years old. As if she hadn't already said enough, she pressed on: "Look at it this way. Progressive lenses are a mark of maturity. Many people need to do this a lot earlier, but you've held out an extra five years!"
But I wasn't going to be cheered up that easily. I had just been told, by someone qualified to know, that I was officially old. I was duly offended.
On the other hand, I wanted to see. For several years, I had been reciting Scripture in the pulpit because I couldn't quite make out the words on the page. I was just about reaching the limit of what I had memorized, so I knew that I had to do something.
"Okay," I said, "let's do the progressive lenses. I love to be progressive."
But there was more.
"It's not quite that easy," she said. "You'll have to learn how to use them."
I laughed out loud at the thought of having to take lessons to learn how to use my new glasses, but lessons were just what I needed.
"It's all a matter," she patiently explained, "of where you cast your gaze. And you can tell where you're casting your gaze by noticing where you're pointing your nose. If you want to see things down the road, point your nose that way. If you want to see things nearby, point your nose that way. It's all a matter of where you cast your gaze."
Truthfully, the lesson was fascinating - because I realized that she was talking about my spiritual life as well.
As a follower of Jesus I want to be able to see things that are right in front of my eyes - things like ministry opportunities and people who appear in my life and God's presence in worship. If I want to see those things, I need to cast my gaze on life here and now.
But I also want to see things that are far away - things like God's promises that haven't yet come to be and future certainties that are sure but not yet fulfilled. I want to see plans and possibilities that God has in store for us somewhere down the road. And if I want to see those things, I need to cast my gaze in that direction.
With progressive lenses, I can do both!
In fact, spiritually speaking, I can grow in my ability to see things that are close by and things that are far away.
It's all a matter of figuring out where to cast my gaze.
But I wasn't going to be cheered up that easily. I had just been told, by someone qualified to know, that I was officially old. I was duly offended.
On the other hand, I wanted to see. For several years, I had been reciting Scripture in the pulpit because I couldn't quite make out the words on the page. I was just about reaching the limit of what I had memorized, so I knew that I had to do something.
"Okay," I said, "let's do the progressive lenses. I love to be progressive."
But there was more.
"It's not quite that easy," she said. "You'll have to learn how to use them."
I laughed out loud at the thought of having to take lessons to learn how to use my new glasses, but lessons were just what I needed.
"It's all a matter," she patiently explained, "of where you cast your gaze. And you can tell where you're casting your gaze by noticing where you're pointing your nose. If you want to see things down the road, point your nose that way. If you want to see things nearby, point your nose that way. It's all a matter of where you cast your gaze."
Truthfully, the lesson was fascinating - because I realized that she was talking about my spiritual life as well.
As a follower of Jesus I want to be able to see things that are right in front of my eyes - things like ministry opportunities and people who appear in my life and God's presence in worship. If I want to see those things, I need to cast my gaze on life here and now.
But I also want to see things that are far away - things like God's promises that haven't yet come to be and future certainties that are sure but not yet fulfilled. I want to see plans and possibilities that God has in store for us somewhere down the road. And if I want to see those things, I need to cast my gaze in that direction.
With progressive lenses, I can do both!
In fact, spiritually speaking, I can grow in my ability to see things that are close by and things that are far away.
It's all a matter of figuring out where to cast my gaze.