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You Can Observe A Lot By Watching



  I am amazed by how oblivious people can be. It might have always been this way and I never noticed[i] but lately, it seems to be everywhere. Maybe people are more self-absorbed. Maybe we are just too focused on our phone. Whatever the cause people don’t seem to have any awareness of what is going on around them.  And that can be a very dangerous thing.


  I’m not talking about walking into traffic because you are not looking, though I see that happen. It is the spiritual obliviousness. Not seeing that your circumstances are consequences of your actions (Gal. 6:7). Not seen yourselves for how you truly are (James 1:23-25). Looking at the speck and not seeing the planks (Matthew 7:3-5). Missing the spiritual opportunities right in front of you (John 4:35).

Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law
Psalms 119:18
   We need to look around. We need to look up. The answers we are struggling for are there if we just use our eyes. Listen don’t just hear. Observe don’t just glance. Contemplate don’t just consider. Study don’t just skim.

  Ignorance will not be an excuse in Judgment. The evidence is all around us.

  Did we even bother to look?



[i] Irony 

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