Who do you see when you look at this photo? Albert Einstein or Marilyn Monroe? According to scientists, it depends on your vision. If you have normal or corrected vision, you probably see Einstein. If you are near-sighted, you probably see Marilyn Monroe. If you see Einstein, step back a number of feet and you likely will see the image of Marilyn Monroe. The illusion is actually a composite of both Einstein and Monroe created by Dr. Aude Oliva from MIT.
Things aren’t always what they seem. Sometimes illusions delight us, like when a skilled illusionist makes something seem to disappear or reappear before our very eyes. Other times, illusions deceive us, leading us to follow a lie we thought to be true.
Like the Einstein-Monroe illusion, we see things differently when we step back and change our point of view. From the perspective of a young child, we see a marvelous tooth fairy who leaves us money when we lose a tooth. From the adult perspective we see the folly of an illusion, even if it is meant for good. You might easily spot a deal that is “too good to be true.” Sadly, we’ve all fallen for illusions we followed to our detriment. Sometimes we believe the illusion of satisfaction gained from feeding guilty pleasures, only to later experience the emptiness they offered us.
“Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion;
wise realists plant their feet on the ground.”
Proverbs 14:18 (The Message)
Honestly, sometimes it’s hard to see truth from our own perspective. We don’t want to live in a world of illusion. But the enemy works through fears and lies and sometimes we fall prey to them. The daily battle is for control of our mind.
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)
….. But our God is able to bind the mind-blinder and give us new sight that sees as things really are. He alone can correct our vision.
“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” (Ephesians 4:18)
…..But the Light of the World, Jesus, disperses darkness from our understanding. His light shines truth and exposes illusions.
I need God to correct my vision so I’m not fooled by the illusions of life. How about you? If you want to see things as they really are, not just as they seem, ask God to let you see the world around you through his eyes. Invite him to reveal the illusions in your life. He reveals a new vision through his Word, through others, and through his Spirit.
Here’s to having clear vision.
