Walking Trees
They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again, and he looked intently, and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village (Mark 8:22-26).
I've previously understood this passage in a couple of different ways. For example, I’ve interpreted it as saying that sometimes healing (of all kinds) often happens in stages, which is true. Within the storyline of Mark’s gospel, I’ve also thought of it as a picture of the stages the disciples had to go through to realize what kind of Messiah Jesus was. I think there's truth in that interpretation as well.
But this morning, I'm seeing a completely different meaning. I know I'm stretching the exegesis of the passage beyond academically acceptable limits. Still, I can't help but view this story within the context of our current political and cultural moment. We're a divided country and a fractured church. It's so easy to demonize each other, isn't it? But before you can demonize someone, you first have to objectify them. The blind man in this story sees people like trees walking rather than real people. We objectify people when we identify people with their political party or politicians, their views on LGBTQ+ issues, or their attitude towards immigrants and other races. We see people as their moral and political positions rather than real people – complex people like ourselves with multiple parts to their lives. As I said, it’s impossible to demonize someone if you haven’t objectified them first.
But there’s more. One insight I’ve gained from Tim and Jon at The BibleProject is that most of the Bible is a commentary on Genesis 1-3 or has Genesis 1-3 in the background. Two trees are specifically named in the Garden of Eden – the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life.
In our current political climate, it can be easy to objectify people by thinking of them as entirely good or evil, or wholly right or wrong, no longer viewing them as multifaceted persons with complex stories. We end up objectifying ourselves as judges and jurors.
But it’s also easy to see people as trees of life – making them responsible for our happiness. Is this other person making me feel more alive? Are they making me feel better about myself? Do they have fruit I can pick and enjoy? Are they on my side?
Or are they obstacles in my search for life, trees blocking my way? Are they making me angry? Are they ruining my day? Are they threatening my future and the future of people I love?
Of course, there's nothing wrong with feeling fear, anger, desire, or grief when we're around others. But when people become means or obstacles to our own ends, we've likely objectified them, which, if they disappoint or offend us, can be the first step to demonizing them.
The alternative? Seeing people not as objects but as divine image-bearers; people, like us, who were created by God with dignity and with the vocation to “reign in life” (Genesis 1:26, Romans 5:17). As someone called to reign in life like Christ, am I looking to bless or be blessed, comfort or be comforted, understand or be understood, affirm or be affirmed, to serve or be served? Do I expect others to rule over their impulses and then give myself a pass when I fail to do the same? It's right that we speak the truth, but do we allow others to return the favor while looking for common ground? Instead of viewing and treating people like objects, Jesus invites us to view them as wounded divine image-bearers like ourselves, walking people, not trees – pilgrims trying to find their way back to Eden.
Yes, even Donald Trump and Elon Musk. I thought of President Trump when I read the following lines in a poem last week:
...but even that scammer's just a lost lamb
with your credit card. You can seethe
till dawn, but it won't change My mind.
("Yes, My Grace Is Insufferable," by Tania Runyan)
Maybe the chaos surrounding us is a unique opportunity for us to learn how to "reign in life through Jesus Christ." One way is to refuse to objectify others and view them simply as the "trunk-ated" versions of themselves they appear to us to be.
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