The words of this hymn remind us that our view of the world is colored by our own selfish wants and needs. We must pray for God’s help to discern the truth.
Background
Open my eyes was written by Clara Scott in 1895. She wrote both the words and the music. One of the biblical passages which inspired her composition was Psalm 119:18 — “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” She went on to publish the first volume of anthems ever written by a woman. Scott was killed tragically in a horse-drawn carriage accident in 1897 at the age of fifty-five.
I believe the words of that hymn apply to contemporary events in a compelling way.
In the summer of 2020, George Floyd was arrested and subsequently held down on the pavement by police officer Chauvin who kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for over 8 minutes. This happened on the street in Minneapolis, MN. George Floyd died before he could be taken to the hospital. This barbaric action triggered a wide variety of demonstrations and reactions (some very violent) throughout the U.S. and around the world.
“Bah humbug” is a phrase that “conveys curmudgeonly displeasure” according to the Pop Culture Dictionary. The phrase was made famous in A Christmas Carol, written by Charles Dickens and used by Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character. The word “bah” expresses contempt or disgust.
Disgust is an embarrassingly weak phrase to express the outrage we feel regarding the killing of George Floyd and the subsequent violence that has resulted in the killing of other innocent Americans and the destruction of businesses and government property worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
But, I use the word “BAH” because I want to use those three letters to offer a perspective on where we are today.
B is for Balance
In Philippians 4:5-6, Paul give us these instructions (ESV):
“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Two critical ideas here are: (1) reasonableness, and (2) balance.
Paul is telling us to let our reasonableness be known to everyone. What does it mean to be reasonable? In the secular world, it means exercising sound judgment, being fair, being sensible, and being open to the facts. So it suggests avoiding extremism, rushing to judgment, or biased thinking. In this passage, Paul tells us what it means in terms of how we approach God. We don’t approach Him in a “one-sided” manner. That is to say that we do not approach Him with all “wants and needs” and no gifts. That’s not reasonable. It is reasonable to approach Him with balance — with our gifts of thanksgiving and our requests.
So, if that model is appropriate for approaching God, then it should be a model for approaching the needs and concerns we have that we commit to Him. How is this relevant to today? In my own case, I thank God for the work of the Holy Spirit in my life regarding how I think, feel, and approach issues of race. While at the same time, I recognize that I have a long way to go. Also, I thank God for Martin Luther King, Jr. for example, and for the progress we have made as a nation. But, we have much more that must be done.
Why can’t we as a country follow Paul’s exhortation for reasonableness and balance? We must approach this terribly critical and divisive issue with thanksgiving for the progress we have made while at the same time crying out for the need for more progress and the eradication of injustice. Balance will go a long way in uniting us in this effort.
A is for Accountability
In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus presents us with a four-step approach for dealing with those who sin against us as follows:
- Go to the person privately
- Go to the person with public witnesses
- Go to the church with the matter
- Expel the person.
We are not to “sweep sin under the rug” … we are to confront it.
In the case of former police officer Chauvin, who was clearly responsible for the death of George Floyd, the record is shocking. According to the Washington Post (Derek Hawkins – May 29, 2020), Chauvin, during his career, shot one suspect and was involved in the fatal shooting of another. We don’t know if those were justified or not. But, during his career with the Minneapolis Police Department, he had at least 17 complaints filed against him with the department. The department has “declined multiple requests to provide details on Chauvin’s use-of-force history.” But it was reported that 16 of the complaints were closed “without discipline” and the other complaint resulted in letters of reprimand.
I suggest that his situation is a classic and awful example of what is plaguing our country and is at the core of many problems. Simply put, it is a lack of accountability. But, more basic than that is the lack of truth. We cannot hold each other accountable if we don’t know the truth.
In many cases in politics, business, government, schools and churches, we have seen a rampant escalation of the lack of accountability often based on the lack of truth. Many union-like organizations take on the role of protecting their members regardless of the circumstances. They are not committed to the truth and moral behavior.
The national media and both political parties at all levels of government lie to us about a wide range of critical topics including economic, health, military affairs and other issues. These lies are designed to protect their position and to avoid accountability.
I believe if the whole truth regarding Chauvin’s performance as a police officer had been on the table and dealt with as it unfolded, George Floyd would be alive today. We must demand accountability and truth! The issue is not as much systemic racism as it is systemic “cover-up” and lies!
H is for Heart
In Matthew 15, Jesus tells us what defiles a person in these verses 18 – 20 (NIV) as follows: “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.”
Our most basic problem as individuals and therefore as a society is our heart. What is in our heart drives our thoughts and actions.
Jeremiah spoke these words in chapter 17, verse 9. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
God spoke these words to Samuel as He selected David as the replacement for King Saul who had failed Him:
“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at…man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7
What was in the heart of Chauvin as he knelt on the neck of George Floyd? What was in the heart of Adolph Hitler when he ordered the killing of millions of Jews? What was in the heart of Dylann Roof when he murdered nine African Americans attending a Bible study at their church in downtown Charleston, SC? And, the list goes on and on.
What is in each of our hearts? Jesus told one of the most righteous Jewish leaders of his day that his heart was not right. He told him he needed a new heart – to be born again. Left to our own devices, our hearts are deceitful and we are capable of very ugly thoughts, words and deeds. So, like Nicodemus, I need a new heart. I need a replacement of my heart of stone that is unresponsive to God and insensitive to my fellow Americans and all God’s people. I need a heart that mourns over my sin and the sins of others. I need a heart that breaks when George Floyd and David Dorn, are killed in acts of violence, injustice and prejudice.
Conclusion
So, may the God who said, “Let there be light” at creation, open the eyes of our hearts that we might see the glimpses of truth he has for each one of us…truth that is the wonderful key…that will set us free. May we be set free from bondage to our sin…especially the sin that causes us to treat each other with enmity. Regarding our relationships with others, may we follow the teaching of Jesus who said, “So in everything do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
This truth will set us free from hatred, prejudice, and acts of violence toward others.
O, God, open our eyes!
— H. Carter
Hymns for Him 