And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:3-6, NRSV)
I don’t think I’m supposed to chuckle when I read this scripture, but I do. Apparently somebody has been picking on Paul because of his preaching; not everyone has responded favorably to the Good News that he’s been proclaiming.
“My preaching ain’t the problem,” Paul seems to be saying. (Paul was born in Tarsus, which is in the southern part of Turkey, which is why I’m sure he said “ain’t”)
I’d like to believe the same thing, Paul.
When someone visits the church I serve and then never returns or when someone hears an invitation that I extend and doesn’t respond, it’s certainly not because of me, right? (That’s a rhetorical question, people; there’s no need to send me emails saying, “Yes, it is”)
Paul instead suggests that “the god of this world” is what has blinded people from the good news that he preaches. Paul could be talking about Satan in particular here or about evil in general. Anything can become a distraction that keeps us from seeing and responding to the many ways that Christ comes.
Even if Paul isn’t, I’m willing to concede that sometimes I could be the problem that keeps people from responding to Christ’s comings. But what else threatens to blind us to Jesus?
May God grant us the grace to see and respond to the glory of God during this season…and always.