Can You Not See? 

His tone was deliberately provocative and accusatory. He was talking about wider issues, but he was still talking to me. 

“Can you not see?” 

People are there who are more than capable of helping in the situation. Opportunities are wide open for exploring and maximising. Relationships were there to be developed and invested in. The needs were more than evident. 

“Can you not see?” 

The load was never designed to be carried alone. The mission was never given to be done solo. The journey was never for the single. The assignment could never be completed by one person on their own. 

“Can you not see?” 

Hungry souls and broken hearts, crippled minds and beat up bodies all needing a response that went beyond saccharine sentiments and cheap quips. Young people patronised waiting to be truly appreciated. Lonely people neglected waiting to be truly embraced and understood in community. 

“Can you not see?” 

His eyes ablaze and yet filled with tears of anguish at how oblivious people appeared to be to that which was blindingly obvious. Anger and sorrow met in the pregnant pause. The fiery eyes burned within seeking the dross of apathy to quench it completely. Its glare highlighted every dark area of mediocre excuses and rationalisations. 

“Can you not see?” 

Your conventions and your camps. Your summits and your convocations. Your large gatherings and your small groups. Your shouting and your hollering. Your loud music and your loud preaching. Your convenient and selective rule keeping. Your committees and your boards. Your schemes and your visions. Your fasting and your Bible studies. All your activities and your busyness. All in vain. All because of your blindness to what matters first and foremost. 

“Can you not see?”  

The truth is that we see only too well. We see and hear and have become so accustomed to it that it has become acceptable. It is the norm. It is what it is. Resigned, world weary shrugging of shoulders have accepted this as our lot. So. It is best not to kick up a fuss. Not to rock the boat. Sure moan about it and grumble every now and then, but what can be done about it. That’s the way of the world, we console ourselves by saying. Best not to do anything other than carry on with the activities and busyness that marks out our existence until we shuffle off this mortal coil. Our eyes becoming dimmed with every concession and compromise. Our ears filling up with the wax of hopelessness and defeat. 

Yet the prophetic voice will not be quieted. 

“Can you not see?” 

The voice calls us back to the One who gives us sight. The voice calls us to repentance – not in sackcloth and ashes but renewed by the Spirit of God to see – see with compassion and move to actively meet the needs – not alone, but in relationship, in community, in harmony, in camaraderie, in the beauty of a unity that doesn’t demand uniformity and conformity to the traditions of men, but in the call of Christ to display the multi-faceted wisdom of God through what He has given each of us. 

He that has eyes to see will see what the Spirit is showing the church. He that has ears will hear and in concert with God will move as He moves. 

For His Name’s Sake 

Shalom 

C. L. J. Dryden