Blind Guides
This is an audio recording of Blind Guides the Day 18 entry in Today: Devotions for Seafarers (Vol. 2) by Jason Zuidema.
Listen to the audio by Donielle Hart Goad or read the text below:
“Jesus called the crowd to him and said, ‘Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.’
Then the disciples came to him and asked, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?’
He replied, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.’”
The seafaring jobs leads us to use all our senses— it can be physically demanding. For safety reasons, seafarers need to keep their eyes and ears open. In enclosed spaces they have to pay attention to protecting their nose and mouth. And protective gloves help them handle things safely.
Scripture has a lot to say about the human senses. And just as we can damage our physical senses, we can also damage our soul.
Jesus often talked about people who were spiritually blind, deaf, or lame. This was not meant to put down people who have disabilities. In fact, Jesus often praised those who were physically disabled but were spiritually whole.
Some religious leaders in his day were physically whole but spiritually corrupted— and they should have known better. In speaking against Jesus, they showed themselves to be lacking spiritual sight. They had pious, wise-sounding words but they didn't open their eyes to the way the kingdom of God worked.
Often we are attracted by the words of leaders who sound wise to the world. We might even ignore the fact that their teaching goes against Scripture. But at what cost?
The apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:3, "The time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear."
Paul is saying that when we follow a leader just to hear what we want to hear, we will end up in trouble, like falling into a pit.
Do you have "itching ears," or will you walk on the path of sound teaching?
For Further Thought
Why did Jesus consider some religious leaders to be "blind"?
Have you ever met another seafarer who didn't practice what they taught?
How should we respond to hypocrites?
Prayer
God of heaven and earth, I confess that lies are often more attractive than truth. Help me to listen to your Word so that I can follow the path to salvation. Amen.
