Blind Men

Blind Men

The story of three blind men holds an important point about the significance of perspective. The blind men went out for a walk. They came up to an unexpected object. Using their sense of feel to discover the nature of their obstruction, they came up with three different impressions. The first man described the obstruction as undoubtedly very large, leathery with a few wrinkles. He thought there was no easy way around it. The second man agreed in part with his friend. The object was indeed large and leathery, but it seemed to be placed on a very large stump like cylinder. However, it was too heavy to lift or push aside. The third man wondered if they were talking about the same object. To him the thing blocking them, while leathery and wrinkly was very flexible. It was round like a person’s arm, and it moved around easily on its own. Going around it was possible.

Backing a couple of steps from the stumbling block, they sat down to consider the facts. Each insisted that their information was accurate and so they were. Each argued that the others were wrong in what they thought they encountered. Finally the third man convinced his friends to join him on exploring again the mysterious object. When they stepped forward together again, they discovered the object was no longer there. Unknown to them the elephant had moved.

What they bumped into was too massive for them to signally comprehend. They each had part of the picture. However, even together they didn’t have all the facts. I submit so it is with people’s expressions of the god that they worship. There is a confidence in the areas that they have studied. Disbelief and sometimes fear accompanies descriptions that differ from that own learning.

From that perspective the author of Baggage burdens. leads Jill, the protagonist, through several different Christian responses to the Bible’s message. Jill’s father and mother each had different approaches to their understanding of how to live a Christian life. Jill accepted neither. While Jill appreciated the help that she received from the Christian hands of Mrs. Maxwell when Jill was homeless and later from her Christian friends, Mary and Ann, Jill’s belief system remained unaltered. The creator god was an impersonal god who had strange followers like people in a rural conservative church near her country home. Equally puzzling was a widower friend who believed in a personal caring god.

What is to be made of this? While one can sit and argue who is right or whose concept is best like the three blind men, from my perspective there is another approach. Acknowledge differences, and look to the future for corroborating clarification or revelation. We are given to each other to be a source of help not frustration.

Meet Jill’s Friends

Silence shouts at Jill. She realizes she asked to stay the night, but her stay could be longer. ‘Mrs. Maxwell won’t accept me. She’s searching for an alternative place for me to sleep. Could Robin be home yet?’ 

“Jill.”

‘She’s going to turn me out now.’ Jill hears the tea pouring into the cups. 

“Jill.” Mrs. Maxwell waits until Jill looks at her. 

Tears blur Jill’s vision.

“I want to thank you for showing that you thought you could trust me. I’m sure this wasn’t easy.” She pauses for a few seconds. 

Jill wraps her hands around the teacup, absorbing its heat. 

“I have to tell you there isn’t very much I can do for you.” Mrs. Maxwell pauses.

‘Oh no, no.’ Jill can’t believe that she will be asked to leave when she finishes her tea. She shivers.

“If you don’t mind, I can bring you a pillow and a blanket and let you sleep in the parlor tonight. The couch isn’t very comfortable, but at least it’s warm.”

Jill smiles. As Mrs. Maxwell continues, Jill sips her tea. 

 “For a longer term solution I would like to refer you to Mrs. Robertson. She helps manage the Home-Away-From-Home project. Have you heard of that before?” Reading Jill’s furrowed brow, Mrs. Maxwell elaborates. “Protestant churches in the area fund a couple of houses to provide shelter, some food, and counseling for young people who have serious problems. I expect Mrs. Robertson will be in church later this morning. I’d like to talk to her about your situation. I know she’ll do everything she can for you. She’s done this kind of work for several years. Will you let me talk to her? See if she can help?”

After the pastor moves on to other families entering the church, Jill thinks, ‘He knows so much about me. I’m not even a member of the church.’

Joseph and Jill sit with Ann, Pete, Scott and Julie. Ann slides close to Jill and hugs her. Pete extends a welcoming hand to Joseph. To avoid any conversation about how she’s doing Jill starts reading the church bulletin. Two separate taps on her shoulder come from behind. Ellen and her friend, Ada, welcome Jill. “We’d met her at Ann’s place a few times,” Jill whispers to Joseph. After the service before Jill can head for the vehicle, Gloria Brewster, the Sunday school superintendent, calls out. She too, greets Jill with a hug and questions about how she is doing. Ruth, the pastor’s wife, welcomes Jill. Before Jill knows it, several ladies in the foyer surround her. All express their sympathy and support.

Seeing Jill happily preoccupied, Joseph distracts his children by pointing to the juice and cookies. He takes Matthew in his arms and joins Scott and Julie.

Scott points to Jill. “So many people. You’d think she was a long time member here.”

“Yeh,” says Joseph smiling.

 “I’m surprised so many people have come to talk to Jill,” says Julie.

“I’m not,” says Joseph. “You see, last week before Jill suggested we come here, I called Anne. I told her I was worried about Jill. I thought Jill was merely going through the motions of her work at home. There was no sense of joy or energy. I hoped Ann might be able to help. Ann said, Leave it to me. I think I know how to raise Jill’s spirits.”

“And?” asks Julie.

“See for yourself. I’ll bet as soon as Ann heard that Jill was coming to church she called some women and told them the good news.”

Jill remembers Joseph paraphrasing a sermon he once heard. “We’re called to protect each other’s good name.”

Jill had fired back. “What good name?”

“Fred loves Gertrude. Her children love her. And she does several works of charity. She has a love for the poor.”

“But she belittles me so often.”

“A blind spot, a human frailty. It’s evidence she doesn’t have the capability to see how you can be loving in a different way.” Joseph rebutted. “Because of her weakness she needs our defense, our protecting her good name.”

“Something wrong?” asks Bill.

“I don’t think I can do it,” Jill confesses. “Whatever I come up with sounds like I’m making excuses. That’ll never work.”

“The fact that you can recognize what doesn’t work proves you will come up with the right words. And if you don’t, don’t worry. No one is perfect. You can do it. I’m sure of it. Trust me.”

“I don’t know.”

“Jill, you really have to work on that trust. Believe me when I say I know you can do it.”

“But I don’t want to blow it.”

“Do you want help?”

“You can’t tell me what to say. It has to come from me.”

“You’re right, but I know how I can help you come up with the right words.”

“How?”

“Pray.”

“Pray?”

“Yes. Pray. I’ll ask God to lead you in your talk with your son.”

“I don’t know.”

“You sound like Moses when he said to the Lord that he didn’t have the ability to speak to pharaoh. Remember. God gave him the ability he needed.”

“That’s in the Bible. That’s a long time ago.”

“You don’t think it happens today?”

“Not to my knowledge. I’ve never heard anyone claim that God inspired them to say anything of value.”

“Then hear it now. Many times in talking with clients at the Wellness Center and even when I was the personnel manager I’ve said things I never thought of. Some times I said things in ways I wouldn’t have imagined. I’ve given thanks to the Lord for opening my eyes, or rather opening my mouth at the right time and saying the right things. Believe me, it pays to ask for the Lord’s guidance in uncertain times.”

Bill speaks with such confidence that Jill refrains from challenging him. Her doubts continue to plague her to the point of considering giving up on the idea of talking to Daniel. Jill remains silent.

Bill asks, “Would you like me to pray with you, to ask for the Lord’s leading on this healing venture?”

Jill nods.

             haiku capsule:                 

 an interruption     

partial descriptions confuse

together headway

Next blog:  Nothing is Free.