Seeing, Twenty/Twenty!

Just a few years ago I met a Christian couple. They were a middle-aged couple and their past was as rich in experiences as their present. Never doubting, God had plans for their future.

At first glance you saw a warm and gentle woman. How would you come to that conclusion at first glance? You just would! You would see her gentle demeanor, warm smile, and accepting eyes. She is one of those individuals whose reflection reveals a greater image than her own. When you looked at her you could see Jesus’ love in her eyes. And if you happened to see her as she caught her husband’s eye, you would see that same caring love.

He was outgoing, friendly, and anxious for activity. He could have been part of a Nike commercial, because his unspoken motto seemed to be, “Just Do It!” Carpenter, cook, painter, comptroller and “can-do-it,” he was always ready for action. I had heard that he took things in his stride and kept going, and I would later learn just why that was. Those who just met him, those who knew him for years, his wife, children and family, all valued him. My husband and I were blessed to meet this couple and counted them as Godly friends. We worshipped together. We enjoyed meals, conversation, laughter, and so much more.

Then came the night of the auction. Auctions are not my favorite, but the men worked hard to get everything together. We went home with treasures, some needed and some not. We went home pleased and ready for the next day’s adventures and usual commitments. However, the next day for this couple was anything but usual. Years ago he had lost the sight in one eye. So this optimist simply used his other eye. In fact, few people even knew of this happening. On this morning he woke to find that his sight was completely gone. The doctor confirmed that he had a detached retina in his seeing eye. Then started the doctor visits, surgeries, and waiting. Now the second surgery was completed.

I met his wife at the waiting area of the hospital. She was deeply concerned and yet she was calm and still. The phone rang and the doctor relayed to her the outcome of the surgery. As she shared the conversation with me she started by saying, “Well, it is kind of what I expected. He won’t have twenty/twenty vision, but he will see. Just how much he sees we won’t know yet.” I sensed that she wanted to be positive even though it was not exactly what she wanted to hear. But how many people do have twenty/twenty vision? With contacts, glasses, and corrective surgeries, many find their sight corrected twenty/twenty. He would have some sight that was positive.

We went up to the ninth floor where he was in recovery. He was eating crackers and greeted his wife as if she had been shopping or out for a walk. He was trying to put her at ease. How are you? When he heard my voice he asked how I was feeling. When his wife went for the car, he revealed that his pain was quite uncomfortable, but assured me that once he started the medication he would be all right. He didn’t want her to worry. How utterly selfless, how unbelievably caring! Two caring people faced with such difficult assignments and in this uncertain situation still able to put others first, especially each other.

How much sight will he regain? How will they cope with this situation? How will they put their affairs in order and get on with their lives?
What will they do in the next few months and years? All questions that cannot be answered right now, are questions that God will find answers for.

Jesus said that sometimes we have eyes to see but do not see. Is sight always our physical vision?
The Lord has shown this couple many pictures, which were not seen by their eyes, but rather their hearts. They have seen the shadows of insecurity and fear. They have walked together the road of pain and difficult moments. They have experienced caring and love along the way. They have traveled through the wildest storms of waiting and when the darkest clouds would seem to consume them, they could see Jesus.

“No tempest can my courage shake,
My love from thee no pain can take,
No fear my heart appall;
And where I cannot see I’ll trust,
For then I know thou surely must
Be thou my all in all.”

Will he ever see twenty/twenty, I don’t know. What I do know is that they both have twenty/twenty vision when it comes to seeing from the heart. I pray my heart would learn to see as well.
-----------------

Four weeks after his last surgery a group of us went out to dinner. It was a Sunday night and everyone loved getting out together. They almost didn’t come, but at the last minute they chose us over the Patriot’s Game. There was laughter until tears were rolling down my checks. What a great time! Someone asked if he could see any better. He said, “some.” And he said, “If I never see any better than I see right now, I will praise God for all He’s done.” In just two days he was to return to the doctor for a follow-up.

Monday afternoon he was “Promoted to Glory!” Without warning he felt a pain in his arm and he was very warm. Then he had a chest pain and his wife called the ambulance. He never saw the doctor. He closed his eyes in the ambulance and opened his eyes to see King Jesus! Twenty/twenty no, his sight is perfect!