Vision

I've been writing a lot about the idea of creativity in preaching. One of the last sources I used is an older book by Arthur Koestler. It is called, The Act of Creation. In it, he tells the following story: In 1960 they conducted some experiments at McGill University and discovered, much to their surprise, some interesting things about the movement of the eye. Here's the quote:

"… the unconscious movements of the eye are not merely aids to clearer vision, but a sine qua non of vision. When the subject’s gaze remained really fixed on a stationary object (by means of a mechanical device), his vision went haywire, the image of the object disintegrated – then reappeared after a while but in distorted shape or in fragments. Static vision does not exist; there is no seeing without exploring."

Static vision does not exist. In other words, you cannot really stare at something. At least, not for very long. If you are forced to stare, your vision will go "haywire." I was reminded that the eyes are not static during sleep, either. Everyone experiences what is called REM sleep, which stands for Rapid Eye Movement. If you ever watch someone who is in a deep state of sleep you can catch their eyes moving all over the place even though their eyelids are closed and they are deeply sleeping. Static vision does not exist.

I wish we could all understand this principle. We get so stuck in our ways and in our choices. We become static in our lives, our jobs, our routines, our marriages, our worship, our faith. Part of the reason we seek to remain static is tied to our need for security and the ability to count on things. Yet, there is no such thing as static vision. If you want to grow or be productive or be successful or do something important, you can't remain static. The Bible says, "Without a vision the people perish." We should add to that the idea that there is no seeing without exploring. So, break out of your doldrums and live. Throw off the gloom of winter and go exploring. Stop one routine and do something fresh and new. Open your Bible and explore it rather than just read the words. There is no such thing as static vision. Believe me, I've tried.