Henri Frederic Amiel, a Swiss philosopher once remarked: “It is by teaching that we teach ourselves, by relating that we observe, by affirming that we examine, by showing that we look, by writing that we think, by pumping that we draw water into the well.” 2 Corinthians 13:5 reminds us: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”
Awareness is defined as knowledge or perception of a situation or fact. It is often considered to be a state of consciousness that observes and alerts the mind to a realization. It may include a vision that recognizes activity or a development that is sometimes intended not to be noticed. It is an important aspect of life that sometimes reveals that, which was formerly hidden. For some, an awareness of the unknown can become a passion. Explorers and naturalists are typical examples of this fervor. Passion is considered to aid self-awareness, which is believed to be the foundation stone of emotional intelligence. It allows one to identify their interests, values and strengths in life, it highlights weaknesses and can suggest possibilities to eradicate its forbidden wants. The passion of awareness might be said to be the eyes and ears of mankind that are primarily used for the purposes of gathering knowledge and understanding.
Passion could be said to feed the heart. Its seeds are planted in the depths of good soil. Its fruit can aid health and rejuvenate life, it can provide both energy and inspiration. Awareness is considered a key factor of finding one’s passion in life. Its knowledge and benefit emerge from the truth of life that God can instill in our hearts. Passion fruit is usually round in shape, which is said to represent earth and the love given to us by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Mark 4:1-20 reminds us: “Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil.
And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable?
How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
During a particular session within a seminar organized by a London-based company, aimed at improving awareness in its workforce, those in attendance were shown three different photographs from a possible selection of ten available. Each picture included non-identical scenes of rabbits situated in a field taken over an allotted time span in the early hours of a summer’s day. Each snapshot, chosen randomly, was shown for a maximum of five seconds to every individual before it was changed.
Prior to the start of the exercise, each participant was told to carefully analyze every photo as it was shown, to ascertain the collective amount of rabbits on display in the chosen selections exhibited. At the conclusion of the experiment confident, but obviously different, answers, were given by all in response to the pertinent question: “How many rabbits did you see?” Shortly afterward, and without warning, an unanticipated follow-up question was then asked: “What other articles did you notice in the photographs shown?” Little response was received in reply. This exercise highlights the fact that once a specific focus, or train of thought has been programmed into the brain, it tends to disregard anything else, no matter how pertinent that may be. General observation may fall by the wayside at the cost of a complete understanding or awareness.
Such is the case in one’s understanding of God. Many may be aware of His presence and power, but do they really understand His true worth in our lives? God can appear or denote different things to different people. If one does not take into consideration, or take notice of all possible elements in His dominion, just like looking at the pictures of the rabbits, then they may be restricted in focus, clarity or vision. Daniel 7:13-14 reminds us: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”
Cloud cover can initially fog the true issues or perspectives in life. It becomes a barrier that limits vision and true insight. An awareness of its presence helps to diminish its impact and restrictiveness, but unless one can travel through it to reach the clear sky above, its diminution will continue to remain in place. If it breaks up, or moves away with the help of the winds, a vision will once again, become clear with pure air at the heart of its midst, which is attained by its height and God’s pupose for one in life. Mark Twain, an American writer and humorist once remarked: “The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn’t it be?- it is the same the angels breathe.”
Awareness reduces the barriers of life, whether they be hidden or exposed. It is a pathway that encourages truth and realization so that the authenticity and true value of existence can be appreciated to the full. 2 Peter 3:1-5 reminds us: “This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God.”
Amen.
