As I walk the streets, sometimes, I saw people as deformed. I don’t want to see them that way. I would try closing my eyes but I need to reach my destination. I cannot simply stop there. If I’m not alone, I can ask for guidance which is always a good practice to do so.
It is not uncommon to me. But seeing beautiful people as zombies; their ears and lips bulging out, their lips protruding with a comical touch by the artist for some period of time. Surprisingly, sometimes I enjoyed being there for a while if it does not go way too long to get out.
There, in the busy streets or crowded pathways and corridors of the hospitals, I may not meet these people again. For them, and to me, they appeared strange in the world we live in.
I knew, however, that it was due to certain disorder of the neurons with which I can easily accept the happenings around me, or should I say with me. There are times when I wonder why all the doctors have some deformity in them. Well, that’s only my problem again. For you to easily get acquainted with, it is relating to seizure, migraine, post-surgery, etc.
One thing very hard to admit is seeing my own family as deformed, although only for a short time of the day, hurts my heart. I do not want to see my children that way. But now, everything is getting better for which I am thankful to God.
And with this, I want to share three things:
Keep Moving:
Most of the time, I try to let it pass when it happens. I need to keep moving on. I don’t want to concede defeat although I fear it might lead to more trouble. It makes me wanted to face it.
In a safe place, I need to take rest. But until I found a safe place I keep moving because my feet can keep me going. My heart says, why this again, among scores of people around me? Not being carried away by what the eye saw, is one step forward, as in many ways it can be tempting to the good eye as well.
At times, I’m reminded of the prayers of David: Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalms 4:1 & 8)
Being able to move forward in the mercy of God and reaching a safe place to dwell is a privilege that compares to none.
Broken Inside:
While we may think we fine outwardly, we could have been broken inside. By the grace of God, I have no physical deformity in my appearance. Yet it is the disorder inside me that came up in its most inappropriate timings.
Unable to recognize familiar faces and seeing people as deformed can be almost embarrassing at times. In that way, although we may not know we need consistent repairing by the Holy Spirit, for us, to be acceptable to God.
Again, the Psalmist wrote: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalms 51: 10-12)
Without us knowing, we need refining each and every moment of time. So that when we are fixed inside we shone outside. Do not lean on your own understanding, submit your ways to the Lord. (Proverbs 3)
Non-judgmental:
It’s hard, sometimes, to admit that we judge by what we see or hear. If you take the case of me, here again, should I go by what I saw during those periods? It would be a disaster!
“Do not judge,” Christ had taught us. (Matthew 7:1-5) In Matthew 7, a good illustration was already given with seeing the speck of sawdust in other’s eye without seeing ours.
In many texts of the Bible, we are told not to judge. The way God sees things and our perception is way beyond comparison. Yet being judgmental is we enjoyed and easily leaned upon in our everyday living.
Being not fit, physically in my case again, it would be absurd to talk about the appearances of people I met during the period. It is a good practice to consult others; do not go by your sight alone. Ask guidance from the Lord and people around you.
In the world of social media, we are quick to pass our views, let’s not called it judging, on what we saw every day on the internet. We need to take measures in commenting on everything we saw with our eyes.
As I said earlier, we might be having a deformity without us knowing, which in turn easily hurt people we closed with and people around the world we never knew existed.
[On a lighter note, I wouldn’t mind you reviewing or commenting on my Kindle Version of “Unconsumed: In His Abiding Grace” which got released on 22 February 2019.]
In my next post, I’ll try to talk about why I keep writing on my financial, physical, and spiritual weaknesses as I got queries from some. Until then, thank you for coming by. God bless you!
