Viewpoint from Rev Chris Shreeve for 11th Feb 2011

Reverend Chris Shreeve

Superintendent Minister,

East Norfolk Methodist Circuit

Tunnel Vision

Last year, when the champion golfer, Tiger Woods, admitted to scandal in his personal life, the sports idol fell heavily from his prime position in the eyes of many. The Guardian newspaper noted that “the sport's fallen idol knows now the full price of scandal after it emerged today his earnings had dropped by an estimated £31 million over 2010.”  Although you may not see Woods as your idol, we all face the daily questions, “What is the object of our affections, our efforts, and our attention? Where does the majority of our time go? On what do we spend the greatest amount of our resources?”  Reflect that your answer will indicate your personal idol[s].

McMath says that today's idols are “more in the self than on the shelf.” That for which you would give anything and accept nothing in exchange is the most important thing in your life. Whatever that is, becomes your idol. These days, it is often said to be the love of money, success, pleasure, or, perhaps, a person thought to offer much.  Sadly, what you trust what ends up breaking your heart. Idols fail; fall, disappoint.

There is something more subtle which is the real heartbreaker.  It can sneak up without our knowing it.  It sounds less dramatic than the havoc it wreaks.  It's called tunnel vision.

Tunnel vision focuses on one part of our lives.  We limit ourselves to only see what we want about a friend, a partner, or a job. We notice little else that is happening around us. And there everything stops – like traffic before a red light. Movement ceases.  Devoted to our own moods and reactions we come to a dead end.  It's heartbreaking.

Ultimately, we are disillusioned. The reality of our situation becomes clear. What can we do?  What we seek isn't found where we've looked before.  Perhaps, at this point, like a novice swimmer learning to trust the water, we can stop hanging on to our own feelings for grim death, and look less anxiously at what's before us.  Maybe we will learn that we're held up by something broader and deeper than we've taken into account.  Faith gives that a name. The grace of God.