“Look Me In the Eye”
I’m reading a book by a person with autism – “Look Me In the Eye”. This man has gone through much of his life knowing that something is “wrong”, but not knowing what.
In a way, we are like that without Christ; we know that something is wrong, but if nobody has told us about Christ, we don’t know what. We try to fill that hole with many things that become gods, but something is missing.
This man is married and has children. He tells about when he’s in a restaurant and reads the menu he rocks back and forth. One of his kids will tell him, “Dad, stop being autistic.”
I had an experience a few weeks ago with a friend who was involved with a man who is not a Christian – was was behaving that way. She was very frustrated and expressed her frustration to me.
I asked her, “Is he a Christian?” No. “Then how can you expect a blind person to ask as if they had been giving the Light?” You cannot simply tell them, “Stop being blind.” They need to receive the Great Healer.
My friend is a very new Christian and I asked her if she knew the gospel well enough to give it to her friend. John MacArthur puts it (more or less), we have to give the gospel well enough for people to reject it. Otherwise, they end up with a “cotton candy” version that leaves them feeling “okay with God”, without a real relationship.
Talking to this friend left me aware that we need to each know how to give the gospel, and give it in a way that is clear enough so the person knows what they are rejecting.
- We are all sinners
- as sinners, we deserve the full penalty for our sins
- Christ died to pay for the sins of those who believe
- those who believe will repent, accept Christ as Lord and be baptized.
It is too easy to simply shrug it off; where we are today, is it possible for people to have NOT heart? Yes…yes it is. WE are to go and give the gospel.
This is my prayer for us (Christians), me and my children; that we be bold for Christ and that we lovingly are able to spread God’s Word to sinners.
very good message today. thanks for this.
Awesome post, bless you.
Excellent post today.
You might be interested in reading the following essay, by a man named Jim Sinclair. When our first child was diagnosed autistic at age 3½ (he’s now nearly 9), this essay made a huge difference in how I viewed autism.
http://ani.autistics.org/dont_mourn.html
I’m not sure whether you have any connection to autism personally as I have, but your other readers may be interested 🙂
Cheers,
Lizzie
Hi Lizzie – I’ve been working in classrooms with people with autism for nearly 12 years – I cannot imagine doing anything different!
This is a fantastic post and the Quote is spot on. Awesome
That is a wonderful post! I have a grandson with autism spectrum disorder and we continually have to tell him “look me in the eye—or look at my face”. He is precious….but this is a new venture for each one of us. Thank you so much for sharing this book! (I would love to know the author and what else they may have written)
You blessed me!!
awesome….
I am working along side of an atheist right now.. and God has openned the doors, a tight squeeze at that but I’m suckin it in and working my way through….
so this was perfect timing…
thank you
I sometimes wonder if have given the gospel only as a cotton candy. Thank you for the reminder…
I admire your work with autistic people. I know you are blessing to the hurting.
Blessings to you and yours.