Four Eyes
At my elementary school, there was a special chant reserved to honor the kids that wore glasses. It went like this: Four eyes! Four Eyes! Scottie is a geek - he’s a four-eyed freak!
It could be conveniently altered to fit any name. The tune was a real ear worm, as well.
No doubt, this little chant would be just cause for being written up for bullying these days, but our teachers routinely let us get away with this kind of stuff in the olden days. Somehow we all survived and even emerged as friends.
The “four eyes” chant always struck me as a little bit odd, however, because I knew someone with only one eye and the challenges brought about by that condition. To have a single eye meant difficulties with depth perception, a reduced field of vision, and trouble with playing sports and driving a car. I knew that two eyes were preferable to one, so why wouldn’t four eyes be better than two? Better vision = better living.
It’s true that having a standard set of two eyes and two ears affords us stereo sensory perception. Two complementary images hitting our brain gives us an enhanced perception of the visible world. Having two ears helps us locate sound sources and perceive a wider range of tones and frequencies. These capacities are God-given.
But when it comes to the Scriptures, God takes the “four eyes” approach when it comes to helping us see Jesus. God gave us the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in order to give us a super enhanced perspective on the most important person there’s ever been.
To highlight this four-eyed perspective in this Sunday’s worship service, there will be four different preachers (Pastor Jeff, Rev Semeyn, Erin Pacheco, and myself) who will each highlight the unique features and perspective of one of the Gospel writers. I’m hoping that it will deepen the need and desire many of us are experiencing to “Eat This Book.”
There’s another way this week to perceive Jesus more clearly. This coming Wednesday, March 5, is Ash Wednesday. This is a day where followers of Jesus all around the world pause to recall that Jesus resolutely journeyed toward Jerusalem, and toward the cross, where he would fulfill his sacrificial mission to take away the sins of the world. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day season of Lent during which believers take extra care to keep company and close watch with Jesus. Would you like to do that? Would you like to see Jesus more clearly in 2025? If so, here are two invitations for you to consider
- First option: You can participate in a drive-through event under the portico on the west side of the building between 7-9:00 a.m. or 11:30-1:00 p.m. You can receive the sign of ashes on your forehead and hear this word of Scripture: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
- Second option: You can participate in an Ash Wednesday worship service in the Garden Room at ECRC at 6:30 pm This will be a 25-minute service with singing, prayer, and concluding with the imposition of ashes.
May God give us all a spiritual vision enhanced by the four-eyed perspective of his Word,
– Pastor Gregg