I can’t believe they are talking.
Here I was in the middle of my presentation and there are two guys whispering to each other during one of the video clips. And then I began to notice a pattern…they talked during every video clip. The nerve of the guys. Don’t they know these are powerful and profound videos specifically chosen to illustrate a truth that can change their lives?
I began to look out into the darkened room to see if I could identity the culprits. There they were, right in the front row – right under my nose. As it turned out, it was really only one guy who did all the talking during the clips. After a few clips the reality of the situation began to dawn on me. One of the men was blind and the other man was describing the video clips to him.
Wow, what a beautiful picture.
One man couldn’t see what was going on and the other one could, so in an effort to help his friend “see” the bigger picture he was ardently describing the visuals. I was really overwhelmed by how profound this picture was. What a great illustration of friendship.
I think that is what true friends do – they help us see what we may not be able to. They don’t tell us what we want to hear. They don’t tell us untruths. They help us to see that which we cannot. When we are stuck and need help to get a grip on what is going on, good friends will come alongside and tell us what they can see from their perspective, and hopefully that perspective is based in truth – God’s perspective.
It is interesting reading the story of Job. His friends came alongside him alright, but they did not help him see God’s perspective. God then chastised them for not doing so.
If we go back to the story of my two new friends, it would have done no good for the man who was blind to have his friend describe something that did not accurately depict the video. It would not have helped him for his friend to describe a picture that he figured his friend wanted to see, he needed to describe the truth of what was going on.
Do you every find yourself in the situation where you have a friend who can’t really see things that clearly? He may be discouraged, disoriented, hopeless, or he may even be in error – he may be believing something that is not true. Your friend may even think that he is seeing things clearly – he might not realize that he is blind. One of your tasks may be to help him see that he isn’t seeing things clearly.
We all need friends who will speak the truth to us to help us see more clearly. And, we all need to be that kind of friend to others. Don’t be that guy who simply tells someone what they want to hear. I know I have greatly appreciated the men in my life who tell me the truth even when it hurts – they have risked my wrath to confront me with the truth. Your friend may not appreciate you telling them the truth, but you can wrap it in love and offer it to them, then encourage them to pray Bartimaeus’ prayer, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me – I am a blind man and I want to see.”
Remember the picture of my two friends and ask the Lord who he wants you to help see the bigger story. Simply share the Truth and ask the Lord to open the eyes of their hearts; then encourage them to pray Bartimaeus’ prayer.
What a precious gift to have a friend who will help us to see – and you can be that friend.
Job 42:7
“After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, ‘I am angry with you and your two friends because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.’”
Proverbs 27:6
“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”
Ephesians 1:18,19
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe…”