The Kingdom of God is like a Magic Eye Poster
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 105:1-22; PM Psalm 105:23-45; Mal. 2:1-16; James 4:13-5:6; Luke 17:20-37
When I was in middle school, I was fascinated by these pictures of dots where the untrained eye would see a random assortment of colors, but to those who could figure out how to let your eyes lose focus, a 3-D object would emerge. I can still remember the first time I saw one. It was the Oak Court Mall in Memphis, and my friends were able to decode the message. I was not as gifted and found myself becoming increasingly frustrated as I tried. I would stare and stare harder, and I just couldn’t figure it out. I thought something was wrong with me, or that my friends might be playing some cruel joke. I walked away that day angry, and eager to return to solve the great mystery.
I have since learned that these images are called autostereograms and in order to allow a 3-D image to emerge, one must overcome the normal coordination between accommodation and horizontal vergence (how our eyes focus). The mall was selling the popular Magic Eye books which were filled with these pictures and after way too much time going cross-eyed, I finally figured out how to let my eyes relax enough to see what was hidden beneath the dots. Instantly, the book I was holding that was filled with pictures of random dots had become something entirely different. Images of fish, boats, animals, and much more filled the pages and I was let in on the secret that my friends had held.
Jesus talks a lot about the Kingdom of God. The disciples are bent on finding the Kingdom and today’s reading is a reminder that the Kingdom exists among us, we just might not be able to see it. I have been trying to digest less news for my own mental health. The stories of despair and angst in our country, in the world, and in our communities can be too much to handle if we cannot disengage from the news cycle for rest, encouragement, and renewal. Sometimes I wonder if we focus on news and getting everything right just like we are staring at an autostereogram, trying to crack the code, but so hyper focused that we miss the bigger picture.
One of the blessings of my role as a clergy person is getting to see light and hope breaking through in this world as people share the Good News with me. We are surrounded by people who are trying at the very core to fill this world with God’s love. I get emails daily from people looking to help others and finding ways of making the world brighter. I watch the way people respond to pastoral care concerns in our community, or strive to serve our neighbors, or reach out to friends and strangers when they are in need. When we don’t focus on despair, it becomes much easier to allow the stories of hope and resurrection to rise to the surface. Maybe the Kingdom of God is like a Magic Eye book and we just need to learn to see it breaking through in all aspects of our life.
John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: What stories of hope have you learned about recently in your daily life?
Daily Challenge: Spend some time looking for stories of hope and resurrection in your community that involves someone you know. Write an email or note of encouragement or thanksgiving for that person.