Seeing People as Trees – The CONSEQUENCES

Seeing People as Trees – The CONSEQUENCES

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And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and *implored Him to touch him. ²³ Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” ²⁵ Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. ²⁶ And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” (Mark 8:22-26 – NASB)

This is a remarkable incident and the life and ministry of our Lord and deserves some special attention.

Could not Jesus have healed this blind man completely to begin with, instead of performing it in two stages? Why did Hi first touch only give the man only partial vision? Why let him see people as trees walking about when He could have given him perfect sight to begin with?

First let us establish that Jesus did nothing by accident; He did everything with a purpose. Therefore there was a reason Jesus healed the man in two stages. He had something to teach us. He appears to have intended for us to see this miracle as a parable of some spiritual principle; He wants us draw a parallel physical and spiritual vision. He wants us learn a practical lesson that will aid us in living the Christian life, and in interacting with the people around us.

What is that lesson? How can we make this passage speak to us in a manner that will transform our behaviour, rather than just pass through our minds as an interesting occurrence in the earthly ministry of our Lord?

I have thought and prayed much about this and believe there is one central message Jesus would convey to us, and it seems to me to be a message both simple and obvious: He does not want us to see people as trees.

• If we see people as trees we may want to cut them down
• If we see people as trees we may admire them but not value them
• If we see people as trees we may want to use them
• If we see people as trees we may want to re-shape them

People as Trees

(Tuesday 11^th May, 2010 – by Christopher Shennan)

And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.”

                                                                                 (Mark 8:22-26 – NASB)

I mostly saw people as trees;

Just part of the scenery where,

If standing too much in my way,

Could be cut down – so there!

I could cut them down with my tongue;

A very effective means,

Of making these folks go away,

For daring to hinder my dreams.

The people as trees were not all,

In my way, some were really quite fair;

I admired them, inspired them;

And found them quite easy to bear.

There were some, these people like trees,

Who were useful, fulfilling my needs;

When done with them, had fun with them;

They were hardly more valued than weeds.

Some of these people like trees,

Were like pieces to carve and design;

Like works of art on display,

I could proudly claim them as mine.

This state of affairs was before

I admitted my vision was flawed;

I knelt before Jesus and wept,

And received Him once more as my Lord.

Since then, by the touch of His Hand,

My Master has opened my eyes,

And I see each one who’s been born

As a precious, incredible prize.

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Without a Vision

Without a Vision

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Where there is no vision, the people perish… (Proverbs 29:18 – KJV)

The vision referred to here is supernatural, such as only God can impart to the human soul.

When God finds a man or woman who is so open to His will and His way, He gives them such an understanding that can inspire others and set them on fire for the truth.

Such a man was George Whitfield who preached with such power thousands were won to Christ.

Such a man was John Wesley whose heart was strangely warmed at Alders gate, and went on to found the Methodist church.

Such a team was William and Catherine Booth who set London ablaze with the message of Salvation through the Salvation Army.

Such a man was Robert Murray McCheyne, who only lived to the age of twenty nine, but who learned to weep for the lost in such a way as sparked revival in his time.

I could go on and on, citing people in the Bible and out of it to illustrate what it means to have a vision of God, but you get my point. Not all you receive a vision from God will be as dramatically successful or famed as these, but their lives will make an impact will not fail to inspire those around them.

The  question is, “Are you and I as open as these to God’s will and purpose as these men and woman are. Can God trust us with a vision that will transform those around us?”

Will our generation perish because there are not enough men and woman open enough to receive a vision of God.

Without a Vision*

A Shakespearean or English Sonnet

(© Tuesday 21st March 1995 – by Christopher Shennan)

“Without a vision the people perish,”

Without a vision the multitudes die.

For the eyes grow dim; hope can’t flourish

When the heart can’t lift in search of the sky.

The human spirit has to dream and reach for

The highest and best that God can provide,

But often, it seems, there’s nothing to search for,

And nothing to stir cold hearts deep inside.

Grant a vision, Lord, to hearts made of stone,

To eyes that are blinded, or growing dim.

Reveal all your glory to those alone —

And those still hungering and thirsting for Him.

Why should those perish who have never heard,

While I hold in my heart Christ’s living Word?

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