Burrito Eyes

I love Mexican food. Actually…I REALLY love Mexican food. If my stomach could handle it, I’d eat it every single day…breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The smells…the flavors…ahhh…I’m getting hungry just writing about it. Needless to say, when my husband and I were on a cruise for our honeymoon this past summer, and I read there was a “burrito bar” on deck…I had to find it!

If you’ve never been on a cruise liner before, let me start by saying…huge is an understatement for a description of the ship size. It’s, as my teenage daughter would say, “ginormous”! And…there’s food everywhere! However, I could never seem to find that burrito bar during my earliest days into our cruise adventure. I looked everywhere, but each time would just give up and “settle” for some other buffet of food. (I’m sure you’re asking, “Why didn’t you just ask somebody?” Stubbornness. Simply, stubbornness.)

But…finally, on our second to last day…I saw her. Yes, her. About three people ahead of me in line, I noticed a woman with A BURRITO ON HER PLATE!!! I said to my husband, “I wonder where she got that from.”

To which he quickly asked, “Why don’t you just go ask her?”

This time, stubbornness would not get the best of me. I had to know. So I approached the stately looking woman, and asked my “gotta know” question, “Excuse me ma’am, would you mind telling me where you got your burrito?”

There was a long pause before she spoke.

I waited patiently for her to answer. She looked at me. She looked at her plate. She looked back at me. She looked back at her plate.

Finally, she spoke but with a rather quizzical (and somewhat disgusted, I might add) look on her face, “That’s not a burrito. That’s my napkin roll with silverware.”

Oh. My. Stars. Did I really just do that? Did I really just mistake a rolled up napkin for a burrito?

I quickly apologized for the error and darted off to fall back in line with my husband while nearly wetting my pants and laughing at myself over quite an embarrassing moment. I shared with Joel how “blind” his wife must be to make such a grave error. Yes, he laughed too. What else could we do at that point?

Recently God revealed to me that I tend to have “burrito eyes” quite often. In other words, I see things the way I want to see them rather than the way they actually are. Rather, I need to develop “rolled up napkin eyes”. Viewing things/situations as they truly are. Practically speaking…

Burrito eyes might see and say…

“Even though I don’t eat right and avoid exercise, I’m really pretty healthy. Because, I don’t have _____ like my friend does (you can fill in the blank).”

Napkin eyes would see and say…

“While I don’t need to be perfect, I still need to start taking better care of my body in order to be around a long time for my family, God willing.”

Burrito eyes…

“Our financial picture looks pretty good right now. Let’s go ahead and purchase that new swimming pool with our credit card.”

Napkin eyes…

“We’re blessed to not be in a financial mess right now. Let’s give generously and save wisely and avoid using credit, so as not to be ‘servant to the lender'”.

Burrito eyes…

“I’m in church every single Sunday, listening and reading God’s Word. I’m a pretty good person.”

Napkin eyes…

“I need to be studying God’s Word each day for myself, allowing Him to strengthen my walk with Him. According to God, my ‘righteous acts are nothing but filthy rags’, and I’m thankful for the abundant grace and mercy He continuously pours out upon me.”

Burrito eyes…

“I’ll never amount to anything of significance.”

Napkin eyes…

“I was made in God’s image and nothing is impossible through Christ and according to His will.”

There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big dreams, planning, having goals, and exhibiting faith over those things that our physical eyes have yet to see…as long as they line up with God’s Word and His will for you. The problem comes when we get “stuck” in unhealthy realities, and that’s where I’ve found myself quite often at times.

Faith believes what God’s Word promises, and that’s where I choose to place my hope. That’s where my “napkin eyes” need to focus.

Lord God, help me to see truth through Your eyes and to respond accordingly!