Tunnel Vision

When my kids were little and watching TV, in order to get their attention I would go over and take their face in my hands and say, “Look at me in my eyes.” It sounds pretty mean, now that I say it, but I was very gentle and they understood. Because they had tunnel vision. They were so fixed on whatever they were watching, my words fell on deaf ears unless I could divert their attention.


I’ve been reading in Mark this morning about Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:22-24, 35-42). Jesus was with His disciples and a crowd of people. Jairus was a synagogue ruler, someone who would have been responsible for the physical management of the synagogue building and the worship services; and, therefore, someone who also would have been respected in the community. He came to Jesus, fell at His feet, and told Him that his little daughter was dying. Would He come and heal her?

Jesus began to walk with him, but was distracted by someone else who needed healing. By the time He had taken care of the situation, people came from Jairus’ house and told him that it was now too late, that his daughter was dead. From everything Jairus had seen and heard, his was a hopeless situation and he might as well have just gone on home in sorrow.

But Jesus had overheard. And he turned to Jairus and did the equivalent of taking Jairus’ face in His hands and saying, “Pay attention!” He said, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (verse 36).

These stories are great and all, but it’s easy to read them and say, “that’s nice” and just keep rolling. Truth is, I don’t know that I would have had the faith! Would I just have hung my head and said, “it’s too late”?

We all have areas in our lives where we have tunnel vision, where we just can’t see the thing turning out well. We go to church and hear it; we read it in God’s Word. "He’s in control and He has a plan." But when we rely only on what we can see and hear - our small slice of the picture - our faith skitters away.

The complete, trusting faith of a child requires that we listen to Jesus when He says, “Look at Me in My eyes. Do not be afraid; only believe.” Then, eyes on Him and not our circumstances, we can go our way in peace and confidence that He truly is in control and has a plan.

Proverbs 3:5,6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.