Don’t Follow Blind Guides
The blind leading the blind would be a disastrous proposition. We would never consider hiring a blind person to drive us around for the day. Imagine the carnage that would result in a sightless cabdriver. The idea is too preposterous for anyone to take it seriously, and yet today’s reading implies that many of us have done this very thing. While we may not choose the taxi with a seeing-eye-dog sitting in the front seat, we allow those who are spiritually blind to lead us. While Jesus did refer to the Pharisees as the blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14), this type of uninformed leadership is not limited to those ancient leaders. Many churches have placed control in the hands of sightless leaders who follow their own imaginations.
Jesus warned us that we become like those whom we follow. We place a great responsibility into the hands of the men and women we sit under. Those who lead our Bible studies, write our devotions, preach to us on Sunday morning, reach out through the internet via podcasts and YouTube videos all impact our thinking. They can be a great help or a great hinderance. Therefore, we have an obligation is to choose wisely.
While we are carefully looking at the fruit of those who lead us, we must not neglect to regularly inspect our own lives. I love that our Savior has a sense of humor. “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (verse 41) The image of someone with a giant log hanging out of their eye and pretending they don’t notice always make me laugh. Still, there have been times when I willfully ignored giant logs of sin in my own life but gleefully judged others for their tiny specks. The problem is that we have given sin varying degrees of danger that God never assigned them. We may list murder, adultery, and homosexuality at the top of our danger list while placing gossip and coveting at the bottom. Someone else may take homosexuality off the list all together. The truth is that we didn’t make the list. We don’t control it. The one who gave us the instruction for what is right and what is wrong is the only one how can maintain the list. The author of what is sinful and what is holy claims all sin to be equal. He declares lying to your parents to be just as deadly as opening fire on a group of innocent people. That is something our human minds can’t quite understand. Still, scripture tells us, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) I don’t know about you, but I can safely say that I have never killed another person. Still, my sins are worthy of death. If this principle is true, the reverse must also be true: If my sins have been forgiven through grace, so can all others.”
I do believe that actions speak louder than words. Words often hide the truth. Our job is to pay attention to those actions, and to the words behind them. Our job is to ask the Holy Spirit for discernment when it comes to whom to follow. If they are not following Jesus, walk away. Spiritual blindness leads to pain and sorrow. God leads to peace. Follow carefully; lead with purpose; and remember that without Christ, we are all equally doomed in our sin.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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