In my youth, the military offered me a full-ride scholarship through college under their officers’ training [ROTC] program. I was interested in having my college paid for without having to take out student loans.

All was going well in the application process until I went for the physical. They asked me to read the chart on the wall. “There’s a chart on the wall?” I asked, only half jesting.

The ophthalmologist snickered and then pulled out a machine and placed it in front of my face. As I looked through the holes in the device, he adjusted a series of discs, and suddenly I could see perfectly. He grimaced and then casually inquired, “You don’t drive, do you?”

I never knew how blind I was until that examination.

You will probably hear a lot about 20/20 vision this year. It will be used by innumerable marketing firms to try to manipulate you to buy something. I have nothing to sell you. I would, however, encourage you to test your spiritual vision. It may help to self-administer this examination during the coming months:

•  Is your love for Jesus growing, or is it stagnant?
•  How is your personal devotional life?
•  How much time do you spend reading the Bible and other spiritually uplifting resources versus how much time you spend on social media?
•  What does your budgeting and spending reveal about your commitment to Christ?
•  If you had a choice to watch a TV show or YouTube video or go to prayer meeting, which would you choose?

What does your spiritual vision test reveal? As it was for me in my youth, it is often true that we do not realize how blind we are until we have an examination.

Jesus sees us with His perfect vision, and He tells many of us that we are actually blind (Rev. 3:18-20). He tells us this because He loves us and is honest with us.

The good news is that Jesus can heal us. He has the cure for blindness. Christ offers us His own vision. He can turn our eyes away from ourselves and our wretched state and cause us to look to Him and to the needs of others around us. We will best reflect His vision when we look to the needs of those who wander in total darkness waiting for someone to bring them light.

The beautiful thing is that once Jesus touches you, and you can see clearly, you can lead other wanderers to the Light. Go! Carry the light.

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