Mr Magoo Experience

Are you old enough to remember the Mr Magoo cartoon character. He was someone who was very short-sighted and could hardly see anything, even with his glasses on. I seem to recall there was a film about him with Steve Martin playing the role. Even his car windscreen had prescription glass.

I am not that bad but without my spectacles I can't see well as all. I have a condition which means I am long-sighted in one eye and short-sighted in the other. I also don't have binocular vision and can control which eye I can see out of. The sight in my right eye is now at a place where the lens prescription can't be improved.

Mrs P and our daughter Jenny have decided to attend keep fit classes, the gym and swimming. This decision also affects me as I am told I need to go along too. I confess that exercise for its own sake bores me so it is a discipline that I don't relish.

Out if the three evils swimming is the least painful for me, or so I thought. I have not swam in earnest for several years so I was not looking forward too it. I hate the getting changed bit and trying to make sure that you don't get the clothes you are putting back on wet in the process which I am not very good at. I got into the changing rooms, got changed, put my things in a locker and put the key on the wristband around my wrist. I was ready. Only problem was I had no glasses on and I hadn't worked out the direction that I needed to go in before putting them away in the locker. Instinctively I headed back in the direction I came thinking I'll find my way from there. As I passed several guys on the way I thought they looked at me strangely. That's not unusual so I continued.. out of the doors and back into the reception area. I was stood in my swimming trunks on a dark winter's evening in the middle of the reception. Realising my mistake I fumbled my way back, past the guys who had given me strange looks who were now sniggering. Eventually I found the route to the pool, managed to see my wife's waving arms (good job it wasn't someone drowning and asking for help) that indicated to me where she was in the water and quickly joined her. I can testify that getting older does mean you are less embarrassed, if I was younger I would have got dressed quickly and left vowing never to go back.

I did enjoy the swimming and realised how unfit I've become, especially the next day. I've been back since and am beginning to feel the benefit of exercise.

As I thought about the incident, laughing at myself in the process, it reminded me what the Bible says about people who don't know Christ personally. It says they are blind. I walk in my faith being able to see the things of God because my spiritual eyes have been opened. They can't see those things.

What should my attitude be to those who don't see what I see. Do I shout at them, blame them for walking into things. Do I snigger at them because its obvious to me they are lost? No. I try to guide them, speak truth in love to them, show them the way as one who was once blind. I am saved by grace. Once I was lost too.

It would have only taken one word from someone who saw my plight to put me in the right direction. Maybe all it will take is one word from you and I to direct people to Christ. It could make an eternal difference to someone.