I remember when I first got glasses. I was 18 and in the United States Army. They were not attractive, they were the “Buddy Holly” style glasses. But I recall actually seeing leaves in the trees. That was a new experience for me. I couldn’t see detail from such a distance — such as leaves on the trees. I never knew as a child that kind of detail. I remember in elementary school when they did color testing.

I could see the “six” and the “nine” in the various color patterns … but I couldn’t see the “12.” But I did know where to point. In those days, all you had to do was point. I got away with it then.

But the Army was a different story. Fortunately, I could see the colors that allowed me entry into service, and as I mentioned earlier, was able to correct my vision deficiencies.

In fact, I was even able to shoot long distances, earning the award of “expert” in rifle qualification, a feat even harder than it sounds because we had to wear our gas masks while qualifying. There were inserts that I had to stick in the eye lens of the mask, and it was raining, fogging my glasses. OK, enough bragging.

Now I wear contact lenses. Due to my age, I wear one contact lens that helps me to see far away and another lens that helps me to see close-up to read. I understand that probably none of you are very interested in those personal details. I list them because every day I wake up and realize that the way I see the world is not the way God sees it. Even with my best vision. Everyday we need to realize that we need to put on God’s vision to help us see past our own limitations.

Consider the “sight” words we use every day. Words like look, see, view, watch and focus. All of those words pale when God is not in the equation.

When it comes to seeing those around you, where do you focus? It’s easy to let differences become your focal point. They present a sharp contrast to your own familiar way of doing things. In fact, you may not even notice others’ strengths because you’re fixated on differences. We live in a world that fixates on differences. Even communion, the Lord’s Supper, has the potential to illustrate what is designed to bring us as believers together, one can focus or fixate on the wrong differences. Do we use wine or grape juice? Do we drink it out of individual cups or do we drink out of a common cup (we use the little plastic ones.) Real bread, square “chicklets” or Styrofoam circles? Gluten free or whole wheat? The point is that we come together to remind ourselves that we need God’s vision. Be thou my vision! Let’s allow God to be our vision for 2020! REV. JOHN MOXLEY can be reached at jmoxleydillwyn@ gmail.com.