Dr. Paul Chappell
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
1 John 2:10-11
Though their use dates back many centuries, the idea of using dogs as guides for blind people became much more common in the 1800s. The concept soon entered popular literature. In her lengthy poem Aurora Leigh, Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote, “The blind man walks wherever the dog pulls.” And in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, part of his description of the awfulness of Ebenezer Scrooge includes these lines: “Even the blind men’s dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, ‘No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!’”
The loss of sight is a huge limitation on life because many of the activities people take for granted can only be performed with some kind of assistance. But at least people who have lost their physical sight are aware of it. There is a kind of spiritual blindness that is just as debilitating and limiting as physical blindness, and yet often we are unaware of it. This blindness comes when we allow bitterness and hatred toward fellow believers to remain in our hearts . As long as there are people, there will be hurt feelings, disappointments, disillusionment, and strife. But we do not have to allow these to fester and grow into hatred.
Instead God commands us to take action to lovingly restore our relationships as a matter of priority. Jesus said, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).
Today’s Growth Principle:
We cannot walk in the light if we are walking in bitterness and hatred toward others.
