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Eyes to See and Ears to Hear

How can anyone witness what is happening in the U.S. and not see that it originates from this administration? How can people approve as they march against a nation?

Why do people remain loyal to him no matter the lies, crimes, thefts, coverups, and inhumane treatment of people groups, individuals, and objectors?

Why are they willing to throw away a democracy that assures equality, rights, due process, and opportunities, for a man and his allies who deny us all so they can take for themselves.

Those that DO see are asking of those who DON’T:

Why?

How?

If you have ears to hear and eyes to see, may you find some understanding in Matthew 13.

If you read it, and still don’t “get it” (especially if you claim to be a Christian), may you be jolted by Jesus’s words.

Do you see video of murder but never SEE it? Do you hear the lies and false accusations but never HEAR it? Could it be YOU Jesus is addressing?

Parable of the Sower

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a]

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

The Parable of the Weeds

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[b] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,
    I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”[c]

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

A Prophet Without Honor

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”

58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

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Trump’s Grassroots Army

Trump is a master at getting people to do his work for him. He has paid servants, but they are not as large in number as his grassroots army.

It is everyday people who do his bidding for free. They spread his propaganda for him. They hate their fellow man for him. They tear down his opponents and our democracy, because he told them to, and happily hand him a dictatorship. They deny reality for him.

Hell, they even support killing for him.

It is his unpaid army who glorifies him and those who are bold for him. It is his everyday troops who jump, every time he needs them, to what he trained them to do: intimidate, deny, defend, justify, lie, spin, and vilify victims.

Even in murder, his grassroots army mimics its leader.

Which is worse, the people who pull the trigger or the people who approve it?

To his grassroots army:

Does your service to him have no bounds?

Does watching videos of two murders of American citizens on American soil clear your minds yet?

Maybe this little window of shock can help you see reality:

You’ve been pimped.

Are you going to keep serving your pimp, when all you have to do is walk away?

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Hate Hits

Me.

Me, who hears your opinions.

Me, who hears your dogma and certainty and outrage.

Me, who watches as you assign blame for this nation’s devolution.

Me, who observes every time you side with oppression and power over the oppressed and powerless.

Me, who sees the objects of your wrath:  the people with names and faces and value in God’s eyes; the people you used to care about, but have dehumanized now. They are …

Me.

Me, who reads the articles and watches the videos you share. Propaganda pieces created by people that you think are your peers, your tribe, your team.

Me, who knows that propaganda machine doesn’t care about me and it doesn’t care about you. That giant, cruel machine is effective and determined to divide, to incite rage, to invent targets, and justify the incited anger at those targets. It seeks to ruin and slander and win and destroy innocent lives.

Me, who reads your posts and articles and watches the videos you share, and with each one I feel the blows.

Because you participate in the machine, you willingly pass on the division and slander and hatred and rage …

To me.

Did you know that I am your target?

Maybe you did. Maybe you don’t care. Maybe I’m naive to have expected you to stop short of aiming attacks on people you know. Not that that makes it better, because it doesn’t, but it could be understandable, I guess, to not fully realize the destruction of your target on the ground when your launch is from an aircraft.

In the last ten years, you … who used to be so loving and caring and a peacemaker and a team player by nature …

Your aggression emerged. Quickly. So quickly. Years ago, during the pandemic, I remember, it approached militancy.

Now we’re under militancy by our own nation, and you defend it. Of course you do. You made that decision years ago.

You, who I never knew to be like that, ever. Somebody, somewhere got your ear and heart and soul and changed you.

You, who were my classmates and coworkers.

You, who were my friends.

You, who are my family and neighbors.

You, who were my sisters and brothers in Christ. Or maybe you never were. Maybe you were just very good at acting.

You are different now. Now, of all times. Now, when so many are struggling with drastically changed lives and looming uncertainty.

Now, when the world needs help, support, reliability, and a reason to expect a better future. Now, when we need rest and a reprieve, you release this onto us. Now, when we desperately require caring and compassionate and loving people …

You give us this new person you have become.

Now, when I needed you most.

Because I, too, am seeking my footing. As life changed abruptly and drastically during the rise of this dictatorship, I, too, went tumbling in the whirlwind of upheaval.

I needed you. Just like all people depend on those they believe care about them. Now more than ever.

I needed you to be who I thought you were. I needed to count on some people. Not all people, but some people. And I can, but those numbers of people are small — very, very small. I thought you were one of them — a person whom I could know, beyond-a-doubt, no matter how difficult or crazy the world became, would be good.

This has taken a toll I didn’t anticipate. You, not being who you used to be. You have caused me to trip and somersault and tumble in ways I have never tumbled before. You were part of a rock of sorts, beneath my feet. And it turns out, because you chose the route you chose … you are no longer a part of the rock beneath my feet.

You left who you were. You are no longer there. I never dreamed you would be one of those who would go rogue; who would turn inhumane and hate-filled; who would go frighteningly militant. I thought you would be here, always. I thought you would be godly and good, always.

But you are gone.

You are over there, hating at …

Me.

You are over there, fighting against …

Me.

Your words and militancy have found their target in …

Me.

You thought you were sending out your judgement and condemnation to people that you would never have to see hit by your missiles of destruction?

Me. They hit me.

Maybe you knew that and wanted that. Maybe you didn’t know. I say you should have known. Maybe you are so caught up with those voices that fill your ears and mind that you lost self-awareness. You certainly lost other-awareness. You stopped being concerned about who, exactly, you are targeting, and if, it is right even, this thing that you do now.

I don’t know if you will ever again be the person I used to know.

I am not angry. I haven’t been angry. I have been very, very, very sad for years now. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, at first, that was making me so sad. I knew I could handle all that the pandemic thrust on us. But when that passed and you didn’t return to who you used to be, and instead kept going on that road of hatred you chose … I was cast down to a place that was distinctly unique; one I had never ever experienced before.

But now I know what caused my despair:

People I believed in, people I trusted, people I admired and loved and respected and appreciated …

Hate.

You hate me.

And you are gone. You are no longer where you used to be. Nowhere near. I feel in my spirit that you are not coming back. I have lost you forever.

And that …

Makes me sad. So very, very, very sad.

You probably aren’t, because you have found a new power. You are strong and mighty, alright. You have it: Power. I know that firsthand, because I feel its effects. Your power to hit your target is real. You hit …

Me.

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Define Faithful

To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. It’s a line we’re all familiar with, from Christian marriage vows at wedding after wedding. 

Most of us know people who have honored that vow. Couples who seem to have the best of luck, couples who seem to have the worst of luck. No matter what life throws at them, they endure it together.

We also know people who have not honored that vow. Couples who drift. Couples who are torn apart by life events, abuse by one, or infidelity of one or both. Couples who used to have “love is blind” vision of each other, whose casual comments have changed about their spouse:  “The way he chews his food grosses me out”; “She irritates the hell outta me”. Those people don’t have the big issues to drive a wedge between them, so they resort to pettiness to justify their decision to leave.

But that’s people we’re talking about. Imperfect beings. Works in progress at best. Evil at worst.

I want to talk about God. Our Father. Our counselor. Our protector and caretaker. Our companion and confidant.

He is not an imperfect being. He is perfect. Stop right now if your subconscious projects onto him what you have experienced in humans.

He is not human. He is God.

The common obstacle to believing his goodness, is the reality that all is not good on the Earth. Why are there landslides, earthquakes, droughts, starvation, murder, rape, theft? If he is exists, why does God allow evil?

That I can’t answer. I’ve heard it explained that it began with Adam, but I don’t know that the origin of the fall of man explains it all for me. I don’t need to know the answer. Because God’s spirit is accessible, speaking and guiding, comforting and encouraging now. Today. I don’t want to compromise his presence available to me in the now, to pursue questions yet to be answered in all of time.

I don’t know much about this world we occupy but I know this:

God accepts each person’s extended hand and holds it. Like people do in marriage. Or friendship. Or as a parent and child holds hands. And as long as you are committed to him, he keeps holding on. If you push him away, or turn your back to him, he won’t push himself on you — he will honor your free will.

But keep searching in the dark for his hand, finding and clinging to it, intending to do so forever, and know that in doing so you enter a covenant relationship with God.

A relationship in which you can count on him to be faithful in all things. He makes more than a lifelong vow with you, he makes an eternal vow with you. He will not break his vows.  

To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, in death I need not part, according to God’s holy law, in the presence of God I make this vow. 

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