Life Is Better When We Become Blind To Our Faults

by Eric Elkin

“Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you wouldn’t have any sin, but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

— John 9:41

I am a sucker for HGTV. If I turn to one of my favorite shows, two hours can disappear very quickly. Each of “my” shows I enjoy for different reasons. I like the snarky banter between David and Hilary on Love It Or List It. Plus, it is always fun trying to guess who will love it and who list it. My Lottery Dream Home allows me to fantasize about the house I would buy if money were no object.

For the longest time, Peggy and I loved to watch Fixer Upper. It may have been the one popular show we watched while it was trendy. Our new favorite, though, is Home Town. The hosts, Erin and Ben Napier, do a couple of things I deeply appreciate. When they renovate a home, they remain true to its original style. They understand the importance of a good porch. And, their projects typically come in under budget.

Watching these shows taps into what I desire to be. I dream of being a competent carpenter. How cool would it be to take a tree slab and build your own table? One that didn’t look like it was made by a seventh-grader in shop class. Right now, I am gifted at taking things apart. Building things back up is a talent that still needs work.

Most of all, I want the vision of the hosts. Whether it be Hilary, Joanna, or Erin, they all possess an ability to look at something and see possibility. If a room lacks flow, they remove a wall, and the problem is solved. When a house lacks storage space, they make two simple changes, and storage shelves magically appear. Their vision involves both function and design. Even more than being a carpenter, I wish I had their eye.

What is more frustrating, not being able to see at all or not being able to see something right in front of you? It seems the later would be the hardest to overcome. There are other alternatives to sight.

People who are born blind develop greater dependence on other senses. This dependence biologically advances their sense of sound, taste, smell, and even memory. People born blind will often pick up subtle nuances those with sight miss. At the same time, technology is advancing at such a pace, it is conceivable blindness will be eliminated altogether.

“Renovate one area at a time. It can be difficult to manage the budget, timeline, and decision-making all while maintaining daily life. We followed this advice, and it kept us sane”

— Erin Napier

How, though, do you adapt to or fix not being able to see something right in front of you? I guess, if you are unaware of the problem, there is no frustration. However, all it takes is one person with vision to expose the problem. Yet, this only takes me back to my original point. How do you help see when they already have sight?

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a show that looked at people the way some look at old houses? There would be one person to envision all your potential. Then a group of builders who made the necessary changes to improve your functionality. When the structural changes were made, the host would return to tidy you up. She would dress you in trendy clothes and select your ideal colors.

There is one problem with all HGTV renovation shows. We never see the finished product lived in. Even the junkiest houses look good with a new coat of paint and the clothes put away. I wonder what a show would reveal if we visited these houses five years later? It would be fun to make it a drop-in experience. The homeowners would not get time to cover up the mess. I think it would show life needs more than a remodeling project.

Perhaps the more enduring solution is to become blind. What would your life look like if you become blind to your faults? What would it be like to be blind to the messes in your life? The ones you cannot seem to clean-up. I think it would be nice to not see my insecurities rather than visiting someone to fix them.

Maybe this is what Jesus is trying to teach us. If you were blind, you wouldn’t see yourself as unfit for God, a.k.a. Sin. Sight sometimes is the gift that leaves most unable to see what we need to see. What we need to see is that we are loved by God. Loved just as we are without the renovation project. That would be a happy place to live.

Click to read John 9: 1-41