How Our Expectations Blind Us

 

I've been learning a lot about blindness lately. 

I read a lot of books (mostly fiction), and I'm used to the common order of things: introduction, struggle, conclusion.  I collect the stories and experiences of others.  Often I look to those stories to try to determine "what story I am in." Like Will Farrell's charcter in Stranger than Fiction, I am often wondering if the story I am in is a comedy or a tragedy. 

As I predict the likely outcomes, trying to prepare myself either for great joy or sorrow, I realize that many times throughout the journey, I've been blind to what God is actually doing.  My expectations have blinded me.  God might be right there, walking with me, but if I am not expecting Him in that way, through that person, in that media, I can often miss Him. 

Here are some Scripture stories that clued me in to expectation - blindness:

 

The Road to Emmaus

The disciples were blind to Jesus because it was so clear that he had died.  They were so convinced of His death, that they could not possibly expect to see Him alive, even though He was there in front of their eyes, there was a block there until He broke through it.  They were also blind to the meaning of Scripture, the meaning of events.  What they interpreted as a bad happening had another meaning, which in their grief they were unable to see until Jesus revealed it to them. 

The Scourging of the Pillar

The crowd was also blind.  They were not expecting the King to be Jesus and do what Jesus did.  Their expectations for how the prophecy would be revealed blinded them, so that when the King himself was before them, they could not recognize Him. 

 

 

Finding Jesus in the Temple

Mary and Joseph were frantic.  Here they had been entrusted with the care of Jesus, and at only 12 years, he had been lost.  Now what? I have no idea what they were actually thinking, but if it had been me, I would have thought, "Great, now I ruined everything through my personal failures."  Here is where sometimes we can be blind to God's work because of how we see ourselves.  Maybe we think we are too responsible or important and can mess up God's work singlehandedly.  Maybe we have a heightened sense of shame or lack self-worth, so that we cannot see how He wants us to use our gifts.  In the end, Jesus is safe and sound in the Temple.  Mary and Joseph are reminded of the truth - they might be cooperating with God, but it is God's work, and He cannot mess it up. 



 

 

 

The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth

Mary accepted the prophecy very against normal expectations.  Because she allowed her vision to be determined through God, she responded without blindness.  After being told she was going to be the Son of God out of wedlock, the normal fears about possible stoning, scandal, and even jeopardizing of her life and Jesus' life, were not at the forefront of her mind.  Instead, her first consideration was Elizabeth, and how to help her in her pregnancy.  

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