My wife likes to tell the story of the time on a hot day when we were out and needed something to drink. We drove past countless gas stations, convenient stores, and various fast-food restaurants, and each one was greeted with a dismissive, “I don’t know.” Without waiting for further approval, I finally stopped at a McDonald’s®, and I pulled into the drive-thru lane to order. We were hot, and we were extremely thirsty, and I was undoubtedly fatigued by that point. As I was sitting there waiting for the ‘electronic voice’ to take my order, Debbie asked, “What are you doing?” I replied, with some irritation, “I’m waiting for someone to take my order!”  Her response, which registered somewhere between disbelief and sarcasm: “That’s the trash can, Mr. Magoo! – why don’t you pull up to the speaker?” We have laughed about this many times since.  And when I say ‘we’ what I mean is Debbie and our children. And friends and family whom she has told, etc., etc., etc. Boy, make one simple mistake…

Now of course, I blame my mistake on that fateful (funny?) afternoon on near-sightedness or heat exhaustion or general crankiness. Still, it begs the question: how many times have I failed to see what was before me? How many times have been so certain of ‘my truth’ that I have been blind to others?

I’ll admit that I wasn’t truly engaged that day but in retrospect it reminds me that sometimes I need to take a second look. Often, I need to slow down, step back, take a deep breath, shut my mouth and open my eyes. I have spoken in haste, offered my opinion, shouted my objection, or cursed a perceived enemy before I have taken the time to know the facts. I allow ‘my agenda’ to control my discourse without considering the possibility that I am wrong. Ouch!

Fortunately, I have a spouse who (gently) points out my blindness. Often while I’m cursing at some stupid driver or some telemarketer, she’ll say, “You don’t know what is going on in their life today.” or while I’m ranting about the latest government shutdown or the fact that the countless letters and emails that I have sent to our congressman have gone unanswered, she just accepts me and tries to sooth my manic behavior.

Still, my anger and self-righteousness often justify my blindness. I scream and shout and sometimes cry and finally I pray.

Then I open my eyes, and I see that damned trash can…

Peace,

Denis

Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7