The more I see....

While working in a mission hospital in South, the ward I was in charge had this picture of a chimpanzee, with the caption, “the more I think, the more I am confused”. Being young and “knowledgeable”   did not pay much heed to this wise saying. But today about 30 years hence, realize that the monkey was wise.

Today I can categorically say, the more I see the more I think, the more I think, and the more I am confused!

What I see around, leads me to think more, the more I think, the more I get confused. I see pictures of 2100 people killed over night in Afghanistan, 40 killed in Bodoland, self-promoting, self righteous, self-serving politicians promising heaven on Indian earth, leaders of faith based organizations who should be different embroiled in land and property, moral issues…I cannot stop seeing, but should I stop thinking? Is that the way out?

Not much different in the immediate surroundings too! Once able, leaders of institutions and programs, aging now, losing cognitive functions, physical strength, and slowly witling away in front of our eyes. Even internally similar issues – find thoughts running wild when you see brokenness outside, near to you and within you!

The Book has answers to this challenge - The Message says “……………fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.” Or as other versions would put it – “bring every thought under obedience to Christ…”

You are to see, and think, but you are to bring the thought under captivity. Easily said than done! How do you bring wild running thoughts under captivity? Or if the mental faculties are not under your control, how do you bring thoughts under captivity – like one I am caring for who is in late stages of Cognitive degeneration? Or many others, whom we know, who has no control of their thoughts due to being mentally differently abled?

So the answer may not be only to “Bring captive” and control thoughts! May to see differently?

The Book says – “So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” Or for those of us used to traditional versions, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

So I need to see, but see differently. If I see differently, I will think differently, If I think differently, I will not get confused but live with clarity.

So I need to see the unseen in the midst of the seen! “Look beyond what you see….maybe I should watch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z9KbH0zhL4 more often!