The Hope of Being Blind

Dear Readers,

Blindness took on a new meaning for me and my family in 2001 when my brother was shot by an intruder in his workplace, was hospitalized for many months, and was 100% blind when he finally came to consciousness.

I remember one time when my family was visiting Columbus we took my brother home to the condo where he lives with my sister. She was visiting out of state so was not there to greet us.

I guided my brother up the sidewalk and inside. I was immediately struck by the darkness of the condo. In my ignorance I naturally offered to turn on the lights. My brother simply laughed and said, “Arlen, I don’t need lights.”

I immediately recalled the oppressive nature of darkness in a cave in Missouri when they turned out the lights. I should not admit it as a macho man, but I was very full of fear for those few moments.

Did my brother feel the same fear when he awoke to total darkness for the first time? Does he still feel fear from time to time?

Recently while reading Isaiah I was struck by his many references to blindness. I thought he would talk about the hopelessness of being blind. In several cases he did talk negatively about the blindness of religious leaders. But mostly he talked about the hope of being blind.

Isaiah wrote the following:
“I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight.” Isaiah 42:16 (NKJV)

“In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.” Isaiah 29:18 (NKJV)

Verses like these give me great hope every time I read them. They give great hope for my brother, whom to my knowledge has not yet accepted Christ as his Savior. Maybe out of his physical blindness he will look to the One who gives true sight.

Isaiah also gives great hope to those of us who had spiritual blindness and our spiritual eyes were healed. I pray for readers of this blog that desire healing from being blind. 

See you next time,
Arlen