I Can See Clearly Now

This past March, with two procedures spaced apart by several weeks, I had cataract surgery on both eyes. The cloudy lenses were removed and replaced with clear artificial ones. The result has been, among other things, a renewed ability to see the vibrancy of color. 

When I returned home after the first procedure, it appeared as if while we were gone someone had repainted the house. What I once thought were light grey walls in our bedroom for instance, were suddenly a beautifully refreshing light green.

In the months since the surgery, I have been continually surprised by the colors I can now see…everywhere. Lake Erie often presents itself to me with a shimmering, deep blue. My family assures me that the lake has not changed its color. My ability to see it anew in these past months has been nothing short of wondrous.

Not long ago Grace and I travelled to upstate New York. The emerging fall colors were vibrantly arresting. I was overwhelmed by the bright primary colors of fall leaves amid marvelous hues and fading greens. Pastels have been rediscovered! I am so very grateful and certainly now aware of what I have been missing. 

In Acts 9:18 the Apostle Paul’s conversion experience is likened, at least in part, to having scales removed from his eyes. Paul has spiritual cataracts removed. He  suddenly sees life and faith in a far more clear and vibrant way. The transforming reality of an encounter with the risen Christ confronts him with the great reality of unconditional love. 

Paul suddenly sees the limitations of blind obedience to religious law. He suddenly sees – and therefore experiences – a living faith within himself. Rather than the depressingly dull observance of ritual, now Paul sees the vibrant color of God’s mercy and grace. Paul lives out the rest of his life accepting rather than judging people. 

Today so many of us are looking at life in our times through the cloudy lens of red or blue.  Extreme views through both lenses are resulting in culture wars, divisions among family and friends, and in federal government actions which put in place policies that very few of us, no matter what our political perspective, want to see taking place in our country.

Today so many of us are looking at life in our times as people whose ability to see color has been greatly diminished. There is little appreciation of, or sense of wonder in, the vast palate of color. Too many of us see everything as black or white or through a red or blue lens.   

Just like what happened to Paul all those centuries ago, my hope is that God, working through all of us, will remove the scales from our eyes. I am praying that we will come to see each other through a clear lens of grace, empathy, and respect.

To be absolutely sure, our hope is not in politics as usual or in politics as becoming usual. Our hope is not in seeing enemies or in identifying groups of people as children of Satan. Our hope is not in seeking revenge or nursing a grudge.

In the words of Johnny Nash’s hit song from 1972, “I Can See Clearly Now” our hope begins when we have experienced what I am calling spiritual cataract surgery. Then we can sing and say and treat each other to act out this affirmation:

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright, bright 
Sun-shiny day.
I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin’ for
It’s gonna be a bright, bright
Sun-shiny day.