Of Freedom and Blindness

A friend shared this story with me and question with me, and I would like to get your thoughts on it. 

   I leaned over the horse trough as i threw in some hay. And with horror began to untangle my horse’s mane, while my mind flooded back to a moment long ago when I heard a story.........but this time it was different. I was there. 

   I stood on a grassy slope as I watched two gorgeous creatures race through the meadow. But something was different about these two horses. 

They were one.... somehow attached. Strange I thought as I followed the story further - Blindness? But no, this could not be....it was to beautiful for this. It had a gorgeous mane that left a trail of glory in the wind. Its coat glistened as if it marched on silver clouds. What a beauty I thought to myself.  But again my mind drifted off. Why the attachment.... the blindness? But alas the story I may never know, for they were wild and their life kept secret by freedom. But wait, can blindness be freedom?

  I turned to go but another sight held me to behold yet a little longer.  It was a group of cowboys. They were out to round up wild horses. I watched with bated breath as I thought of the fate of these two beautiful creatures.  Headed for captivity..........or were they? The silence and beauty of the moment was broken by a whinny and then a whistle.  The race was on.  Cowboys or horses?  A cloud of dust left me wondering. But I would not be satisfied. I rushed on to where I could see, nay rather talk to the cowboys upon their triumphant arrival.

   Soon I saw the procession coming to where I was. Yes they were caught. So sad I thought to myself, it is blindness indeed. One horse guided by the other keeping its head tucked gently over the withers of the leading horse.

"What do you think he is blind from?" I asked the nearest cowboy.

"Not sure he muttered.......he won't let me see his eye.  You know he might not be blind." He said with a wink as he threw a rope around his neck. I knew he would hope that this gorgeous creature wasn't blind after all that work of catching him, although to me it was pretty obvious he couldn't see.

He promised to let me know once he could tame him a little, at least enough to see his eye.

As I reflected on this while pulling out the tangles on my horse I thought of blindness. What is it I thought that keeps us so blind? How could we be leaning on other horses trying to have them guide us through this life. Freedom? Really?  Was that horse really free? Is it possible to be blind and call it freedom? 

  

   Thankfully the story does not end there. It has a brighter side. Soon after the round-up it was discovered that this horse was not blind. It could see but the tangles in its beautiful mane had covered its eye so throughly with such a bunch of knots that it had made vision impossible.  I stop to take in a few lessons this story brings home to my heart. The beautiful mane, the most stunning outward attraction of the horse was the very thing that caused it the most intense captivity and suffering. 

   Here I pause to ask. You, dear reader may want to pause and ponder this as well.  In which case did he experience freedom? While he roamed the wild hills and valleys blind? Or that of being captive to man with vision clear?

   

   Once the tangles were kindly removed by his captors. He had many lessons to learn. Because to bask in his new found freedom......(that of being able to see) he must put away the inner blindness as well. He had lived to long for this to easily take place. The lessons of trust and surrender, joy and a willing heart. 

(Written by Joanna Meyer, The Brave Hearted)

So now I repeat her question, "In which case did he experience freedom?"

Keep Your Eyes on the Goal

Much as been happening here this year. In Feburay mom (Judi) did a cooking school, prior to an evangelistic seris in March-April. The evangelistic seris went well, ending with about 5 people still coming regularly. Many of the people wanted another cooking school, so when the meetings were over she did another one. Traveling, seminars, VBS, mission groups, the list goes on and on.

God will use all if they will be used.

"In this closing work of the gospel there is a vast field to be occupied; and, more than ever before, the work is to enlist helpers from the common people. Both the youth and those older in years will be called from the field, from the vineyard, and from the workshop, and sent forth by the Master to give His message. Many of these have had little opportunity for education; but Christ sees in them qualifications that will enable them to fulfill His purpose. If they put their hearts into the work, and continue to be learners, He will fit them to labor for Him.      
     He who knows the depths of the world's misery and despair, knows by what means to bring relief. He sees on every hand souls in darkness, bowed down with sin and sorrow and pain. But He sees also their possibilities; He sees the height to which they may attain. Although human beings have abused their mercies, wasted their talents, and lost the dignity of godlike manhood, the Creator is to be glorified in their redemption.   
     The burden of labor for these needy ones in the rough places of the earth Christ lays upon those who can feel for the ignorant and for such as are out of the way. He will be present to help those whose hearts are susceptible to pity, though their hands may be rough and unskilled. He will work through those who can see mercy in misery, and gain in loss. When the Light of the world passes by, privilege will be discerned in hardship, order in confusion, success in apparent failure. Calamities will be seen as disguised blessings; woes, as mercies. Laborers from the common people, sharing the sorrows of their fellow men as their Master shared the sorrows of the whole human race, will by faith see Him working with them.  
     "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly." Zephaniah 1:14. And a world is to be warned."

 

Education 269, 270

Presenting the Gospel

The gospel is to be presented, 

not as a lifeless theory, 

but as a living force to change the life. 

God would have His servants bear testimony to the fact 

that through His grace 

men may possess Christlikeness of character 

and may rejoice in the assurance of His great love.

He would have us bear testimony to the fact 

that He cannot be satisfied until 

all who will accept salvation are  

reclaimed 

and reinstated 

in their holy privileges as 

His sons and daughters.

(MH 98, 99)