SIGHT

SIGHT
Noel held her breath as Dr. Gomez snipped the final bandage from her eyes. Noel had been born blind, but she had been assured that this operation would give her sight. She’d been looking forward to this day for months.
 
But when Noel opened her eyes, she screamed and immediately closed them again. Everything she saw was horror. People were monsters. She didn’t understand how they could balance on these spindly poles of legs, and she refused to even try to walk. Her dark world was much better, and she wanted to stay in it.
 
Gradually she was led to realize that people weren’t monsters, that her legs would support her. She was able to walk. She was able to accept her surroundings without being terrified. And Dr. Gomez released her from the hospital.
 
At home Noel stayed most of the time in her bedroom, where it was safe. She did go into other parts of the house, but steadfastly she refused to go outside. The world was too big. She would get lost in its vastness. Noel wanted walls. Dependable walls.
 
Noel’s parents coaxed her to go outside. Her best friend, Ginny, pleaded with her to take “just a short walk.” The minister told her that God had made the world for everyone, and that she should enjoy His creation. But Noel clung desperately to the only security she knew in this
strange place of sight.
 
Then Jason came to see her. Jason was Noel’s favorite nephew. In fact, he was her only nephew. She hated to refuse his request that she come outside and look at something. “Can’t you bring it in here?” she asked.
 
“No. It’s in a tree.”
 
The last thing Noel wanted to do was go outside and look at something in a tree (trees were big, ugly things that could fall and smash you at any moment). But at last she gave in to her nephew’s urging and went with him, quite reluctantly, to the tree. Jason went up and touched a leaf.
 
“Come here and look at this.”
 
Noel shrugged. “It’s only a leaf.”
 
“Look underneath.”
 
Noel peered closely and saw a whitish green growth. She stepped back hastily when it started to move. “Is it dangerous? Will it sting or bite?”
 
“No,” Jason assured her. “It’s a butterfly. It’s been in that cocoon, blind and alone, all winter. Now it wants out.” Noel saw a tiny creature with wings emerging. Jason put out his hand, and it clutched his finger. “I’ll bet you’re glad to be free,” he said softly. Then he gently put it back on the leaf. It needs time to dry its wings.”
 
Noel watched this living jewel for almost an hour, too fascinated to be afraid. Then the butterfly spread its wings, flapped them slowly, and soared away. Noel’s heart went with it. She finally realized that the earth is not a vast wasteland, with danger all around, but the Lord’s work, held securely in the palm of His hand. “Hello world!” she called out silently.
And all of God’s beauty answered her.
 
…..Lela Marie De La Garza (LMDLG@aol.com) by way of Eternal Ink (eternal_ink@associate.com) and “Christian Voices” (christianvoices@att.net)lso informs all of His followers that they will know others by their fruits. Others will identify us as true followers of Christ only if we bear good and lasting fruit, and they will shun us if our fruit is rotten and sordid. We might be likened to wolves in sheep’s clothing.                      
 
So let us take at least an hour a day out of our busy schedules to spend alone with Our Creator and to read His Sacred Word. Then we will have the wonderful and most exciting adventure of always bearing good and lasting fruit and clinging to the Divine Vine. We will also have the discernment necessary to know others by their fruits.
 
…..Michael R. Tovrea - John 15: 1-17 by way of Eternal Ink (eternal_ink@associate.com) and “Christian Voices” (christianvoices@att.net)