If favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly and does not see the majesty of the LORD. O LORD, Your hand is lifted up, but they do not see it. Isaiah 26:10-11a
What is willful blindness? It is looking at evidence that is in front of you and ignoring the obvious truths. For example, when I was in high school I had some acne issues. Along with this, I was also blessed with being very near sighted. So, when I looked at myself in the mirror, I would see all of the acne, however when I removed my glasses my face looked a lot better. Therefore, I often looked in the mirror without wearing my glasses. Did that solve my acne issue? Surprisingly …no, however, for some odd reason, I felt a little better. This is an example of willful blindness. I did not like the truth that my glasses revealed, so I didn’t wear them. However, the problem did not go way.
I first read the term “willful blindness” in the book Reflections on the Existence of God written by Richard E. Simmons III. (I wanted to add the full name so that no one mixes the author up with the exercise guru from the 80’s) Richard points out that willful blindness is a legal term and refers to situations where people deliberately turn their attention away from a problem because it is too disturbing to deal with.
The prophet Isaiah wrote about this issue as he was moved by the Holy Spirit. God shows favor to the righteous and unrighteous. God created this world and the amazing creatures and beauty within it. However, there are those who look at the goodness of God and the power of His creativity and ignore His majesty. God was at work in the world in Isaiah’s day, just as He is at work today. Instead of recognizing God’s design and influence, people deny it and fight against it. The evidence of God’s design is present in the world all around us. David wrote about this in Psalm 19 and Paul wrote about it in Romans 1.
We live in a culture that is willfully blind to God and His work. This willful blindness results in confusion, hardship, and uncertainty. It can be easy to see how those who are apart from God are willfully blind and fight against God’s truth. However, as Richard points out in Reflections on the Existence of God we all struggle with this tendency:
We must recognize and come to an understanding of this natural tendency that exists in each of us. Unchecked fear always leads to denial and we may find that we consciously deny truth its rightful place in our lives because we fear the results it may bring. This is especially true when it comes to God and spiritual reality.
Isaiah wrote about how the unrighteous were willfully blind to God’s working. When they experience God’s favor they do not learn righteousness but, instead, continue in their wicked ways. However, as believers in Christ, we also need to be aware of our tendency to turn a blind eye to how God is at work in our lives. We need to pursue the truth of His Word where ever it leads.
Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:4
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