There is a fish that lives in the northeastern part of Mexico, in caves. It is called the Mexican Tetra, or more commonly the blind cavefish. It has endured so long in these dark regions that it has lost the use of its eyes. It is now genetically predisposed to being born without functioning eyes. In its embryonic development it does begin to develop eye cells, but after 24 hours that action is arrested and flesh forms over those regions that would have been eyes. To survive it has adapted more efficient taste buds and heightened sense of water pressure so that it will not run into the walls of the cave or into other fish. But it is not what God meant for it to be.
This is not unlike people who choose to live in spiritual darkness. After time they fail to be able to discern God. They fail to see Gods glory and His majesty in everyday life. They are only able to see through a “fleshly” worldview. Their evil is “acceptable” because they see it through fleshly eyes. They are truly blind, and their hearts are hardened.
John writes in chapter 12 as he quotes Isaiah, “He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.” God came to such a point with stiff-necked Israel that He blinded them and hardened their hearts. They had gloried in rebellion to God, and so He revoked their ability to recognize Him altogether. That same prophecy was reproduced in Jesus’ ministry; the people were blind, and their hearts were hardened towards Him. This should be quite a sobering thought for any who are on the edge of darkness. There may be a point of no return if we choose to stand in defiance of God.
An interesting bit of research has been done with those blind cavefish, some eye lenses have been removed from “seeing” Mexican Tetras and placed into the undeveloped eyes of the blind fish. And you know what? Something is happening. Something inside the DNA of those fish recognizes the eye parts. Something inside that blind cavefish is trying to see, to make sense of it all as it recognizes that God had created that fish to see.
Unfortunately, that is similar to the plight of man – We have been created by God and for God to glorify Him, yet we seek out darkness. C.S. Lewis said there is a “God-shaped” vacuum inside everyone that desires to know God. Deep down everyone knows that He exists, it is in our rebellion, or desire to remain in the darkness that we fail to see Him, that we reject Him. Like those fish we have been created for so much more than to live in a dark cave. We have been designed to enjoy the light, to live in the Light of the World. We have been designed to see our world, and recognize that all signs point to a Creator God who desires relationship with us.
So, don’t push it. You are not a fish. You never were a fish. You were created in the image of God to serve Him. So, open your eyes! He’s great to see.
