Eyes to See

You’ve probably seen the clever optical illusions that at first look like one thing, but when you look again you see something different.   Is the picture below a rabbit or a duck?  Sometimes things aren’t as they first appear – actually it would probably be more accurate to say that more often than not things aren’t as they first appear. We expect to see one thing, then encounter something different. We are left with the challenge of adjusting our vision so that we might have eyes to see what is right in front of us. 

This was certainly the case with the early followers of Jesus.  They thought Jesus had died, then encountered the Risen Christ.  They struggled to adjust their vision so that they might have eyes to see - Mary at the empty tomb, the disciples fishing, two friends on their way to Emmaus.

What was it that opened their eyes to see the Risen Christ in their midst?  Was it the calling of a name, the abundance of harvest, the breaking of the bread?  

What is it that will open your eyes to see the Risen Christ in your midst?  Will someone be calling your name?  Will there be an abundance of harvest?  Will Christ be walking along side you in your daily travels? 

My prayer is that we can slow down long enough to look beyond our first impressions, and have eyes to see new perspectives and hopeful possibilities. Christ is risen!  May we have eyes to see…