The story went thusly: In planning their family's vacation, a couple decided that each family member would keep a daily diary. This, they reasoned, would prove beneficial in not only bringing the more immediate impressions attendant various sights and experiences into organized order but would provide resource for meaningful reflection in the future as well.
In viewing the Grand Canyon, the father was particularly awestruck. What a dramatic view of creation and reminder of its Creator! Noticing his son leaning somewhat precariously over the guardrail at a particular observation point, the father suspended his sightseeing long enough to admonish the boy as to the dangers of unsafe behavior. The remainder of the day was then spent taking advantage of the various opportunities for sightseeing, exploration, canyon rides, etc.
During the night the father was sufficiently overcome with curiosity regarding his son's impression of the impressive surroundings and events experienced thus far as to sneak a peek at the boy's diary. Obviously related to his having leaned over the guardrail, the day's sole entry read: "Today I spit over a mile!"
Are not we ourselves prone at times to focus on the inconsequential in place of the truly meaningful? To pursue interests more derivative the shallow and mundane than validly objective? To surrender life's higher sense of values to visions of the material? To miss the import of things eternal while engaged in quests of the temporal?
Jesus spoke of those "who seeing see not, and hearing hear not, neither do they understand" (Matt. 13:13; cf. Isa. 64:4; I Cor. 2:9). Of that wisdom to which the world remains blind, those led by God's Spirit are nonetheless granted insight and perception (I Cor. 2:10-14).
Thus Christ words to the Twelve: "How blessed are your eyes because you see; and blessed are your ears, because they hear" (Matt. 13:16).
Burl Ratzsch
