What’s The Point?

Ask me a question and you’ll definitely get an answer...if you really want one. 

Rarely will that answer be “yes” or “no”; rather it will be at least a paragraph. 

I’m working on this habit, but it’s a tough one for me to kick; my mind instantly has a rational reason or an arguable answer for most every question asked. 

“Did you give the dogs their treats?”

“I never give them their treats, you always do it and it’ll be a cold day before I go and do your fun little trick in your place. Why would I take that away from you and confuse them anyway?” 

“NO” would have sufficed. 

“What’s for supper?” 

“Well, I was thinking about chicken but I never got around to marinating it and the steak isn’t really thawed all the way so how do you feel about burgers?” 

“I dunno” would have been fine. Or just, “burgers”.

This brings to mind Matthew, you know, the book?

Matthew, Mark and Luke have many of the same stories but they are recorded in their own way and from their own point of view. Fine and dandy. So typical of story telling.

When I compare the three versions of any given tale, I get a little miffed at Matt; his version always seems to be short and quippy. Mark and Luke describe the scene and the surroundings; they elaborate more. Matt gets to the point and that’s it. 

I like to put myself in the story. I wanna know whats going on, who all is there, everything that was said, details. I like details. 

However, the other day ol’ Matt blew me out of the water. Matthew’s version was first and I didn’t need to go on to Mark and Luke’s, but I did just to see how they described it all. Although their versions were more informational and even more exciting, Matthew’s was the one that drove the nail in for me. 

Chapter 20 verse 33, “They said to Him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

Period. 

OPEN OUR EYES!

How often have I prayed that? For myself and for others…

Often I will ask for my own eyes to be opened to what God has planned. What does He want me to do? Or I’ll pray for someone I care about, that their eyes would be opened to the JOY that God wants for them. So many other “open our eyes” prayers I’ve prayed over the years. But what then? What about what happens after our eyes are opened? What should we do next? Do we even think about that? 

Next it says, “Jesus had compassion…” He does! He loves us so of course He would want our eyes to be opened! He wants us to know how He loves us! 

I imagine Jesus looking at them there, begging for sight. I wonder if He was thinking that they really didn’t have a clue what they were asking for, but He had compassion for them. He didn’t feel sorry for them or just walk past them, He was concerned for their sufferings and wanted to help them.

Then, look what happened after Jesus touched their eyes and they opened “...they followed Him.” 

THAT-is-the-ticket. 

They asked for their eyes to be opened, He answered, they followed. How simple. 

It doesn’t need to be more explicit, or detailed. It really is that simple.

In this day and age people just want the point. They want the end result first. No time for the details y’all, just gimme the goods! But I still love the details. I want the colors of the sunset in crimson, verbena, roseate and tangerine; not red, purple, pink and orange…And I want every single thing that God has planned for me. All of it. One thing at a time; with my eyes wide open so I can soak up every speck, drop, segment, portion, dollop, scintilla, smidgen.

I wanna know how it plays out. Once He opens my eyes, I want to see what’s next. Where does He want me to look? Which way does He want me to go? I want that appreciation and the fire to follow Him because He had compassion on me and answered my prayer-”Open my eyes, Lord. To YOUR will.”

So, however you choose to get the point, know this: He is for you, He loves you and He has big plans for you.

Find your point and get to it.

Enjoy the ride!