How could they not see?

Stony ruins lay just beyond the trees providing shade.  Here a house, a mitzvah (ceremonial bath), a partial synagogue now only provided a residence for rock hyrax.  Excavations show that this once was a vibrant town that inhabited many people.  But what happened?  Where did the people go?

Matthew 11:20-28 gives us insight to the fate of this town because where I was standing was in the center of Korazin, a town denounced by Jesus.  Jesus had once walked the stony paths that wound around these ruins long ago.  The people there had seen the miracles that He performed but they stubbornly refused to repent from their sins.  They saw but didn’t believe therefore suffered a greater punishment than the wicked cities of Tyre and Sodom. (Cities that didn’t see Jesus.)

As my eyes traced the outlines of the former buildings my thoughts wandered back to the plane ride to this country.  The woman sitting next to me was an Israeli. As she inquired about why I was on the long plane ride she said: “oh you are going to walk where that Jesus walked.  He was only a good teacher but the Son of God?  No” As I sat there before my feet ever hit the soil of the Promised Land, I wondered: “How, how could you be from this place and be blind of who He is?”

The voice of our guide snapped my thoughts back and as he quoted scripture. Here I stood seeing the verses come to life into a real space.  How could they have had Jesus walk among them and not see nor know?

Then it was like Jesus whispered to my soul…”And you? How many times have you been blind to what I was doing?  There were times when I worked something out right in front of you, times when through my handiwork I orchestrated events that none other could have done but yet you were blind to me as well.” Yes I, too, was guilty of being blind.

In verse 25 of the passage listed above Jesus mentions two kinds of people in His prayer:

1.      Those that are wise and clever in their own eyes

2.      Those that are childlike.

God hides things from those wise and clever in their own regards BUT He reveals to those that are childlike.  

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”

Are you being wise and clever in your understanding of things going on around you? Or are you leaning with childlike faith into the One who walks among you? 

Even if you think you are walking along your own stony path with ruins on each side, Jesus is there working. Don’t be blind but look around and pray that you will see!

Open the eyes of our hearts Lord, that we may see Him!