The Father.3

"The One who has sent me is present with me now.

There is no separation between us, for I always do what pleases him.

In fact, in seeing me you have seen the Father.

Why then do you keep saying, "Reveal God to us?"


Do you not believe that I am one, and equal with my Father?"

--Jesus

Were you aware that "seeing" is not as easy as just pointing your eyes?

Professor of Clinical Psychology, Dr. Jordan Petersen explains how our physical ability to "see" is limited by a number of factors, including our willingness to see things as they truly are:

"...vision is expensive—psych​ophysi​ologi​cally expensive; neurologically expensive. Very little of your retina is high-resolution fovea—the very central, high-resolution part of the eye, used to do such things as identify faces. Each of the scarce foveal cells needs the first part of the multi-stage processing of seeing. Then each of those 10,000 requires 10,000 more just to get to stage two. If all your retina was fovea you would require the skull of a B-movie alien to house your brain. In consequence, we triage, when we see. Most of our vision is peripheral, and low resolution. We save the fovea for things of importance. We point our high-resolution capacities at the few specific things we are aiming at. And we let everything else—which is almost everything—fade, unnoticed, into the background. If something you’re not attending to pops its ugly head up in a manner that directly interferes with your narrowly focused current activity, you will see it. Otherwise, it’s just not there.

"Seeing is very difficult, so you must choose what to see, and let the rest go...people are blinded by their desires (as well as merely incapable of seeing things as they truly are). ... Your eyes are tools. They are there to help you get what you want. The price you pay for that utility, that specific, focused direction, is blindness to everything else. This doesn’t matter so much when things are going well, and we are getting what we want (although it can be a problem, even then, because getting what we currently want can make us blind to higher callings). But all that ignored world presents a truly terrible problem when we’re in crisis, and nothing whatsoever is turning out the way we want it to. Then, there can be far too much to deal with." (12 Rules For Life, Dr. Jordan Petersen)

A post circulating on the internet illustrates the degree of willful blindness people exercise in spiritual matters:

"In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance.
The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, penned by a US resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:
'Dear Dr. Laura:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination ... End of debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations.
A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24.
The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence. 

(for brevity's sake I skip other Old Testament verses he cites and jump to the author's conclusion)  

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.Your adoring fan.James M. Kauffman, Ed.D. Professor Emeritus, Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education University of Virginia(It would be a damn shame if we couldn't own a Canadian)'"

Funny stuff, eh?

Good-natured teasing is certainly different than willful blindness, don't you agree? 

The same internet used to promote this professor's comical views of ancient Hebrew wisdom, which represent the Creator's earnest and ongoing attempt to civilize the human race, has wonderful commentary available about the historical context and value-added effects these laws had on civilization.

But academics and influencers scoffing at God's revelation of His redemptive reach is certainly not a new thing! Just ask Jesus who endured the same hostility from people who purported to understand the mind of God but failed to see and embrace His heart! Or, for that matter, ask anyone who has committed themselves to seeing the highest possible good in God's Creative Continuum! 

And their scoffing is, historically speaking, not good-natured, but rather malicious and pernicious! If the (willingly) blind lead the (ignorant) blind the result is always the same...cliff falling! Sadly, a lot of people get led off steep cliffs by the bemused blinded.

Dr. Petersen reminds us: 

"What you aim at 

determines what you see."

So let us follow this sage advice from a faithful follower of Jesus:

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2,3