I am so glad I went to church today. It was good to meet together. There were some laughs! There were some tears. I realize how I overuse exclamation marks in my blogs!!!!
I got to see some walking miracles. I got to talk to some exuberant kids. My soul was fed by Word and song. My tummy was fed by potluck.
In Sabbath School, Mrs. Yeagley made a remark that got me thinking of a little encounter I had this week, and wanted to quickly share. Her remark was how Jesus once called the Pharisees (or basically us sometimes) BLIND GUIDES. You can read it several times in Matthew 23. “Woe to you, blind guides!” “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”
I dropped Jake off at Camp Yorktown Bay this week for his summer job. I went down to the swim dock by myself and sat in the shade. It was really nice. The water was clear. There was a bit of a breeze. I was writing out the blog on Ben’s picture, when I heard kids…uh, young adults I mean…coming down to the dock. They were practicing leading the blind for blind camp. One staff-member guide had either one or two staff members who had eye patches on. The guide was supposed to describe the terrain ahead…”step here, crack here, keep walking.” They were the eyes who would lead the blind all the way around the dock and back up to camp. I was sitting on the edge of the dock and figured I would just stay sitting and let the guide talk them around me.
Right in front of me was an area of the dock where two pieces sort of buckled up, one side being a bit higher than the other. Perfect for stubbing a toe!
I had already witnessed a few minor stubs and heard some “ows” from a few blind people, but then up walked this very talkative guide (talking about everything other than the path ahead) and a blind girl. I was observing them and BOOM! She stubbed her toe hard! She stopped. And limped. And almost cried! She exclaimed, “Why didn’t you warn me? Why did you let me do that?” His reply was epic. He said to her, “You were distracting me!”
I kid you not. He…the seeing guide…was blaming the blind girl for stubbing her toe! I put in my two cents and suggested it would probably be best to not blame the blind person…ever!
I’m thankful we have a Guide who can see the beginning from the end. A Guide who speaks clearly to us with wake up warnings of cracks and potholes ahead when we need them! A Guide who has already taken our blame. A Guide who’s left a guidebook for us.
“Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.” Proverbs 4:10-13.
Happy Sabbath!!!