George Washington made a fascinating statement as he turned his attention from the battlefield to politics. He said in essence, “…for someone to see and act, they must first feel.”
I can’t get that quote out of my head. I’ve thought about it for weeks. Really it’s something we all understand intuitively. For instance, we hear a lot of news that can be more negative than positive. All that news then quickly becomes noise–even if it’s a story about someone’s life or a culture that ends in tragedy. We see the news headlines, but we don’t feel it. We have a hard time relating to it. As a result, we might see it, but we don’t really see it in so much as it moves us to action.
In our world right now, it is safe to say that some news has become noise. However, for most people–going through the same pandemic uncertainty–we’re tuned in, because we all feel similar effects. I’m not sure if there has ever been a time in history when the entire world is watching, talking, and considering one thing–one hidden enemy that has caused quite a stir in the world today.
We are all feeling, and as a result most of us are seeing–truly seeing.
What are some of the things we’re all feeling?
- Our comforts are fragile…
- Our 401k’s can turn on a dime…
- We can stay connected through a virtual environment…
- Our routines have all but vaporized…
- Children are home and still need to be educated…
- Boredom has set in…
- We don’t know when the pandemic will end and how far it will extend…
The question is, will this lead us to see…truly see?
To see…
- That our lives are fragile and will one day end, and therefore need to be invested in the things that last into eternity…
- That our 401k’s can be spent through a pandemic or a spoiled recipient, and shouldn’t hold the keys to our happiness…
- That undistracted face-to-face meetings are where we truly build relationships…
- That our routines don’t support our productivity…our work ethic does…
- That our children need to be our priority…not our jobs or entertainment…
- That boredom can lead to creativity and ingenuity…
- That the only thing that is certain is found in God’s Word, the Bible…
“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law…”
Psalm 119:18
— March 27, 2020