Lids and Lashes

Most days, we don’t give much thought to our intricately designed bodies and the incredible ways in which they function. We don’t remember to give glory to God for the precision with which He formed us and the mercy with which He sustains us. We move, we breathe, we speak, we hear, we smell… but we forget. We forget who designed us to do so.

Last night, my friend Jordan hurt his eye. He was carrying an oblong cardboard box, and in the process of shifting it from one shoulder to the other, it hit his glasses and gouged his eye. He was still in so much pain this morning that he went to the emergency room and was issued pain killers.

It’s an odd occurrence, one that reminds us of the sensitivity and intricacy of our eyes. We use them every waking moment, and yet rarely harm them. Why is that?

It must be because of lids and lashes.

If you think about it, God protected our eyes more than any other part of our visible bodies. Not only did He provide a cover for them (eyelids), he also put a row of “feelers” on them (eyelashes). Eyelashes serve the same purpose as whiskers on a cat; they warn the eye that an object is near. When they sense something, the reflex of the lids is to close and protect the eye from potential harm. Did you know that it is even impossible to sneeze without closing your eyes? Scientists theorize that this reflex happens to protect the eyes from the microorganisms and particles in our sneezes. Lids and lashes do much to keep our eyes safe and healthy.

So why don’t we, then? Why don’t we avoid things that can harm our eyes? I’m not talking about hauling around cardboard boxes. But what about being careful what we see? Or what about avoiding the interference of “planks”?

Interestingly enough, this is exactly what Jordan spoke on at church yesterday morning, just hours prior to his eye-incident. He shared verses from Matthew chapter 7.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (v. 1-5)

Jordan knows firsthand that specks hurt. Foreign particles are damaging to our eyes. That’s why God gave us lids and lashes. So why do we allow filthy things in? Why do we judge others when we ourselves are faltering? Why do we develop “planks” and leave them there?

God desires to protect us from eye-injury, from heart-harm. His Spirit serves as our “lashes”. It feels out the air around us and sends us warnings when danger is near. It senses sin; and its aim is to avoid it. Jesus is our “lids.” His blood covers us. He frees us from slavery and protects us from injury. He saves us, because He knows we are incapable on our own.

Over time, if we allow the God’s lashes and lids to do Their work, we will develop reflexes. The specks will be fewer and farther between. The planks will be eliminated quickly through confession. The pain will lessen. And our vision will become clear. But we must rely upon Him, upon every flutter of His Spirit, every covering through His Word.

He created our physical bodies with many spiritual metaphors, even lids and lashes. We must remember we are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and why not? We were fashioned after Him.