All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Having the right perspective is key, but even more important is having the capacity to see things clearly in the first place. The first concept, perspective, deals with a vantage point; the second, seeing, deals with eyesight itself. Eyesight is more important, because without it, vantage point matters very little.

To illustrate this, take for instance a firstborn son or daughter. Many of these children are fiercely independent (over time this can be an asset). Couple that with a concept many teenagers adopt that their parents’ intelligence leaves them when they enter Jr or Sr High and doesn’t return until they get to be about 25, and you have a fiercely independent, seemingly all-knowing teenager. (If you are a teenager caught here, don’t worry, most of us were there too.) The point I am trying to illustrate here is that for a time, some teenagers can not even see through eyes that help them understand. Eyes which see that the directions their parents are giving them are good. It’s like they are blinded. No amount of proper vantage point or logic will help them. They must work through it on their own.

Then, after a time, their wits to listen to their parents return. Then they can then see their wisdom again. They may even ask for it. Then spiritual perspective and vantage points can be helpful to them. A vantage point may be serving in a ministry and seeing God work, and then understanding more about how he loves us. We can see his love, and its impact becomes clearer in service as we gain perspective.

Jesus is telling us that no one will truly understand him except God. Why? He and God are one. He and God created together. Then he explains that only he really knows God. But also, those who he reveals God to … will also know him. These are his true followers. “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬) First, we must see clearly that Jesus is the only way by which we can know God. And we must also, in reverent fear, submit to him, his will, and his ways … as his true followers. And then he reveals the knowledge of who God is to us and we build a relationship with him. This is the outline of knowing God in the Bible. Many have tried to take shortcuts, but they always fail. And for those of us who follow this outline, we are truly blessed to see the things of God as his followers, like his disciples were back then.

Lord, you are the source of my goodness and my relationship to God the Father. You chose to reveal him to me, and I am humbled and honored to be your follower. Keep my eyes wide open to see and help me to seek good vantage points on your spiritual work in my life and the lives of those around me. Grow me in your love and grace, I pray!