What We See Can Change Our Lives
We believe what we see with our eyes. For example, a friend emails a cat video almost daily, as she knows we are the servants of two cats at our house. One cat video shows the transformation of an old Tomcat, a leave-me-alone cat, who was unfriendly to humans and not inclined to ever play or display much personality except, ‘don’t bother me.’
The video documents the change in the character of the old cat with the arrival of several little kittens who did not care the old cat was unsociable. They had no intention of leaving the old cat in isolation. The kittens climbed on him and chased his tail. The fearless little demon kittens showered the old cat with attention and life.
The old cat began to play with the kittens. He groomed the little rascals and slept with them lying on him. The old cat even welcomed human attention as never before. The old cat was not too old to change; he became a new cat thanks to the kittens’ attention.
Often change comes after some time. For example, a man suffered a sudden heart attack. Thankfully he lived, but it was severe, and he took a long time to recover. A friend from another province visited him some months after his heart attack. He asked the heart attack victim, “How did you like your heart attack?”
The man answered that his heart attack scared him almost to death. He would not want to go through it again and would not recommend a heart attack to anyone.
His friend asked him, “Does your life mean more to you now than it did before your heart attack?” The man answered, “Surprising, yes. My wife and I are closer than ever. I sure treasure that I still have time with my grandchildren. I now understand how difficult illness, hospital stays, and surgeries are for those enduring them. When you know you could die, you get closer to God than ever before and are determined to keep it that way. A heart attack can help you change for the better.”
For Jesus, when he changed instantly before his disciples, it was to become visible in his divinity. So, there was an instant change in Jesus’ appearance and substance before the eyes of three of his disciples.
Jesus led Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. He became transfigured or changed before his disciples. Jesus’ face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. There appeared Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Peter told Jesus that if Jesus wished, he would make three tents there on the mountain one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them.
A voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus touched them, and when they lifted their eyes, only Jesus was there. (Matthew 17:1-8)
Later Peter would attest when he proclaimed to others about Jesus that he and John and James were eyewitnesses of the divine majesty of Jesus. (2 Peter 1:16-18)
