Pastor Tom's Community

Light that Blinds and Hardens Us or Enlightens Us

As I was reading this again after reading it all my life,  a subtlety landed in my brain and stirred a thought.

The exact same light that enlightens our thinking can blind our eyes to truth, depending upon the angle at which we stare and the ways in which we perceive.

The light and heat of God’s brilliance can melt our hearts like a piece of chocolate in the sun. But place that gooey treat in the freezer and it will harden again. Depending upon the ingredients within it, it may get harder and harder until it is almost impossible to soften.

Paul experienced the blinding light of Jesus on a dark and dusty road, but that same light that blinded him, opened his eyes.

It was the next step that made the difference. The religious leaders chose to remain blind because they feared the loss of their standing, the rejection of their peers, and loss of the partial, incomplete glory of human praise which they valued over the authentic and eternal glory of God.

It would seem, from John’s observation, that the choice for perceiving and receiving truth in our eyes and dispositions. The gift of truth has already been given and the light has already shined.

John 12:36b-43

While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.“

After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them. Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him.

This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not look with their eyes, and understand with their heart and turn– and I would heal them.”

Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him. Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from Gode