Bird Box: Are You Spiritually Blind?

Blindness is not limited to a physical condition; it can also affect our spiritual being.

During the New Year holiday, my family and I watched a thriller film titled Bird Box. The story is set in a world ruled by monsters that can drive people to commit suicide. The best way to save themselves from those monsters is to cover their eyes.

From that film, I realized how people who can “see” (are literate in religious knowledge) are often spiritually blind. Also, how being “blind” (in religious knowledge) can sometimes make us more sensitive to the truth.

What does that mean?

Able to See but Blind

The Bible records a group that was spiritually blind, even though they were knowledgeable about God. As a result, what they saw actually became a snare for their own lives.

The Pharisees were very meticulous observers and enforcers of the Law of Moses. They thought that God loves those who obey the law and punishes those who do not. It was this high level of knowledge of religious law that made them regard themselves as religious and godly people.

Objectively speaking, the Pharisees were not people who could not tell right from wrong. Their knowledge was complete, and their spiritual activities were certainly remarkable as well. Even so, Jesus rebuked them and repeatedly said that they were actually “blind.” Why was that?

You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup, and then the outside also will be clean. In the same way, on the outside you appear righteous to others, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. – Matthew 23:26,28  

Jesus never praised the Pharisees for having abundant knowledge and keeping the Law of Moses without fault. On the contrary, He called them “blind,” hypocritical, looking good on the outside but rotten within.

The blindness Jesus meant was not a person who had physically lost sight, but someone who was knowledgeable in religion while their spiritual eyes were blind.

Let us reflect on ourselves through the points below: could it be that we too are experiencing spiritual blindness?

5 Characteristics of Spiritual Blindness

1. Teaching Others to Do It but Not Doing It Yourself (Matthew 23:2-3)

The saying “it is easier said than done” is indeed true. Do you often quickly and easily teach others to do what is right, but you yourself do not do it? Be careful, you may be experiencing spiritual blindness.

God does not want you, as a true follower of Christ, to be someone who can only talk in theory. You must be a doer of the word before teaching others to do that word themselves.

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching the gospel to others, I myself should be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:27 

2. Doing Everything Only to Be Seen by Others (Matthew 23:5)

The Pharisees in those days carried out their religious activities solely so that society would view them as godly and having a good image.

Perhaps you do not serve with the goal of being seen by others. But have you ever suddenly felt discouraged when no one in the congregation noticed or appreciated your efforts? Does this eventually make you hold back from giving or serving?

Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as for the Lord and not for men. – Colossians 3:23 

Remember, your reward is already prepared in heaven, so do everything for God, not to be seen by people.

3. Loving to Receive Honor (Matthew 23:6-7)

Do you enjoy it when you receive honor after serving or doing something for God? Then, when no one appreciates or honors what you have sacrificed—your time, money, energy, your skills—how do you respond? Do you become angry, disappointed, hurt, or offended?

When these feelings arise, reflect on this: which is more important, approval from people or from God?

Do all of that for God, and not so that you may receive honor from others.

So now am I seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. – Galatians 1:10 

4. Committing Evil but Covering It with Religious Activity (Matthew 23:14)

Like the Pharisees, we often misunderstand the meaning of religious activity. For example, you may think that going to church on Sunday can erase your sins from Monday through Saturday.

Or, you give your best service in church to get rid of your guilt. In fact, this guilt is there because you have not come out of your sins, so you keep falling into the same sin. When you think that many sins must be balanced out with much service as well, you are actually spiritually blind.

5. Carrying Out One of God’s Commands but Ignoring Another (Matthew 23:23)

Spiritual blindness also occurs when you pick and choose in obeying God’s commands, that is, you keep some while setting aside others. By carrying out ten of God’s commands but ignoring even one of His commands, you have done something futile.

For whoever keeps the whole law, but fails in one point, has become guilty of all of it. – James 2:10 

Even though the Pharisees were able to see outwardly, and also understood, memorized, and carried out the laws of Moses, Jesus was not proud of them. Because what matters most is our motivation and sincerity in carrying out His commands and teachings in daily life. How we apply our knowledge of God in a real way, not as mere knowledge.

Then, how can our spiritual eyes remain open?

In the film Bird Box, the people who looked at the monster died by suicide after being haunted by hallucinations. Meanwhile, those who wanted to survive had to close their eyes so they would not see it. Malorie, the main character, had to use her sense of hearing in place of her sight so that she could save herself and reach a safe place.

Sometimes, in order to see the truth, we must first become “blind” so that we can see with the eyes of our heart. That means forgetting the theories we know, setting aside all our knowledge, humbly learning the word again from the beginning, and then doing it as God desires.

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. – Matthew 7:21  - Related Articles:

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