“You’ll never find a rainbow if you’re looking down.” ~ Charlie Chaplin
“Moe, Larry, I can’t see. Moe, Larry, I can’t see.” “What’s the matter?” “I’ve got my eyes closed. nyuck, nyuck, nyuck” I’ve always loved the antics of The Three Stooges. Their comedy was imbecilic and crude and made everyone laugh. Now, don’t get all politically correct on me and tell me that the show was too violent and not proper for kids to watch.
Believe it or not, we didn’t go around hurting one another. Even when we mimicked their actions, we didn’t hit for real. We pulled our punches because we had been taught right from wrong and we knew not to hurt one another and we knew that what we saw on television was merely theatre. We also knew not to drop anvils on each other’s heads (as if we could lift an anvil) as we saw on the Roadrunner. There, I got that out of my system.
Not only did we not hurt one another; but, we also learned lessons by watching the shows. Oh, yes. There were indeed lessons in many of the shows. Lessons that taught us that we shouldn’t lie, that we shouldn’t pretend to be something that we are not, and that we should look out for one another.
In the quote referenced above, Curly also taught us that we can’t see if we have our eyes closed. Chaplin pretty much said the same thing when he indicated that we will never find a rainbow if we are looked down and not up at the skies.
That might be a simple thought but it has profound implications. Stretched to its furthest implication, we are reminded that we cannot find God if we do not look for Him. Remember, God gave us free will. He’s not going to knock us over the head and make us look at Him. He waits lovingly and patiently for us to turn our gaze upwards and will be more than happy to reveal Himself to us. But it begins with us. We have to open our eyes and look for Him.
Too often, people spend their lives looking for things that will satisfy their earthly desires but will do nothing to fill their souls. While they might have all sorts of earthly rewards, they are spiritually bankrupt. If that is the case, they will be morally bankrupt as well and will be far from the example to others that God calls us to be.
There are plenty of rainbows in our lives. There is plenty of goodness. There are moments rich in grace and holiness. We just have to desire those things and we have to open our eyes and look for them and, when we find them, respond to them.
FAITH ACTION: Don’t forget to look all around you today and see the glory of God as it is revealed in those around you and in the experiences that you will have.