I was teaching a literature class the other day and one of the stories we covered was a story called "What Do Fish Have To Do With Anything?" While it sounds like a rather uninteresting title, and even more insignificant question, it has proven to be rather encouraging.
This story talks about a particular species of fished called "cave fish." Cave fish are fish that live in dark caves and consequently have lost their ability to see. As a result, they have reproduced a generation of fish that not only can't see from birth, but are often born without eyes. If they are born with eyes, they lose them after a while Studies show that as embryos, they have sightless eyes but due to underground adaptations that have affected the evolution of its genetic mutations, the organs decay and are scaled over the fish's body. With this ichthyological understanding, this story chronicles the life of a young boy who is searching for the cure from unhappiness for his depressed mother. The mother, while blind to her own inability to see, is unable to rationalize with the boy's quest and search. So, during one part of a discussion in the story between the boy and his mother, his mother tried to impose her perspective on her son. Her son responded, "You can't see anything. You're a fish. And you live in a cave!"
Let's face it...life can hand you some things that can really impact how you view the world. It can so affect you that it cases your perspective to be jaded, which manifests in your behavior. These experiences effect your soul and spirit the same way the water effects the riverbank; it creates a slow erosion. Slowly, it pushes you deep into a dark cave to fend and care for yourself...or at least attempt to. Once you are in there, it's hard to see things purely anymore. I know...I've been there before. You see, this is when the clean seems not so clean; the pure seems to be impure; the godly become filthy; and the honest becomes dishonest. I've heard it best described like this, "If you swim in the mud, all you see is dirt."
This reminds me of the cave of Adullam in 1 Samuel 22. David was running out of fear for his life from Saul, and had also resorted to playing crazy because of his fear of the king of Gath in chapter 21. David arose and retreated to the cave of Adullam. That's right...the man of God went into hiding! What's interesting about this is that when he was in hiding, those who were in "strauma" (stress, drama, and trauma) gathered unto him in the cave and looked to him as a leader. While David was in hiding, running from fear, and even leading in fear, God sent a Word that ultimately resulted in David abandoning the stronghold cave of Adullam and leading in freedom! There is so much that I could say about this text, and even teach on it, but I will stick to the point of this blog. :-)
Like the woman in the story, sometimes it takes a jolt of honesty and reality to shake you from one place. The woman didn't see that she was living in darkness. Neither did David. But it took one Word to illuminate or shine in on areas that had grown dark. What I didn't tell you about cave fish is that scientists now say that they are convinced that while blind cave fish eyes' have withered while living in complete darkness, they can regain their ability to see again (ScienceDaily, 2008). To that end I say regardless of how long a person may have endured darkness or resided in a cave, there still is a place of freedom in regaining the ability to see once again. You can never appreciate seeing the light until you have lived in the darkness. And those who have are usually the ones that sing these lyrics with tears in their eyes, "...Twas blind, but now I see."
So, my friend, I leave you with this question, "How well do you see?" Before you answer, take inventory on how you perceive people, places, and situations. I even encourage you to pray about it before you answer. You may be surprised to find out that your vision is not 20/20 the way your may think. But the good news is that it certainly can be. :-)
Well, that's all for now. Until next time...blessings!!!
Lady Mia
