It’s probably happened to you. You didn’t realize how many cars like yours were on the road until you bought one. This model of car you had never noticed before seemed to be everywhere now. It’s funny how things can hide in plain sight.
I had a similar experience when our family did our missionary orientation in Hong Kong. A few days into orientation, I told our host how surprised I was that I didn’t see any idols in the city. He chuckled. That day he pointed out a small idol sitting on the sidewalk just outside the door of one of Hong Kong’s thousands of shops.
Once I had registered that idol in my mind, I saw them everywhere. The city is littered with idols. It’s perplexing how things can hide in plain sight.
What is it with us humans that allows things to hide in plain sight? Scientists who study these things tell us that the eyes see everything, but the mind is selective in what it perceives. In other words, we perceive only a fraction of what we actually see. But once a thing is pointed out, once we relate with it, we tend to see it everywhere.
A similar thing happened to the disciples in John 4. Jesus led them to Samaria. The disciples left to find food only to return and find Jesus talking with the woman at the well. Never one to waste a teachable moment, Jesus told them, “Open your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready for harvest” (John 4:35, HCSB).
Needless to say, the disciples had seen a lot of Samaritans but never had viewed them as part of the harvest. It’s tragic how people who are far from God can be hiding in plain sight.
The Strategic Focus Team wants to help you see those far from God who are hiding in plain sight. Our desire is to help you know:
· Where to look.
· How to look.
· Who to look for.
You’ll find these precious people living in trailer parks, apartments, government housing, suburban neighborhoods, college campuses and urban high-rises. You’ll find some clothed in native dress, some in poverty and others in wealth.
May we open our eyes and look at the fields ready for harvest.
