Out of Focus

I've been reading Jesus the Christ lately and have been impressed with the lack of detail given of the events surrounding Christ's life. Talmage, I believe, leaves details out on purpose, not that many are known anyway. He doesn't speculate or even try to make it seem like he has all the answers. This approach intrigues me.

I find myself asking why is it important to not know all the details?

Why don't we need to know everything about His life, and subsequently about every tiny detail of the gospel, or just life in general?

What lesson can be learned here? 

Do I sometimes get caught up in inconsequential details?

These thoughts have caused me to ponder and today I felt answers come so I thought I had better write them down.

I believe as humans we naturally crave clarity. We want things to be clear. We want to see everything, but I also realized that if we knew everything we wouldn't be required to have faith. We went through the veil on purpose much of our moral life may be continually shrouded by it still, and that's OK. The veil helps us rely on what little we do know and requires faith to cover the rest.

The thought of a camera came to my mind. The scope we are given of Christ's early life is like looking through a camera where the picture is out of focus. You can see generally what is there but lack the clear crispness that the lens can provide. I believe God left it like that on purpose perhaps for two reasons. One, like I said earlier was to promote faith, and two, perhaps to retain some privacy or sacredness of what was most precious to Him.

Then my thoughts turned to optometry. When sitting behind the phoropter, the doctor rotates through a variety of lenses that are intended to give the best and clearest vision to the patient.

 

So what if God was the doctor? Would he make it all clear so we could see perfectly the mortal life we must conquer? Or would he purposefully leave our mortal prescription a little blurry so we can generally see what lies ahead of us, but unable to clearly define everything? Would he then fit us with a special lens that allows us to see the clear picture when we sincerely asked Him for help, and approached Him in faith for increased understanding?

I believe He has done just that. His ways aren't our ways. He obviously can see things we can't with our mortal myopia. His plan is perfect. He leaves things out of focus on purpose so that we have to exercise our faith and rely on Him, while allowing us to see just enough to muddle through. That little bit of clarity may sometimes get in the way of our faith when we mistakingly believe "we've got this," when instead it should help launch us forward into the unknown where we must navigate by faith.