Diabetic retinopathy, part 3: Following Recommendations

"No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." (Luke 11:33-36 NASB)

We are currently taking a detour through a few eye diseases to help us understand the concept of "clear eye" and to make spiritual applications. We have previously considered Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Detached Retina, Cataracts, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Diabetic Retinopathy #2. You can click on the links to see those.

When I was reviewing information about diabetic retinopathy a few days ago, I came across a sentence that astounded me. "People with proliferative retinopathy can reduce their risk of blindness by 95% with timely treatment and appropriate follow-up care."1 The risk of blindness is not completely eliminated, but carefully following the recommendations of skilled physicians can decrease the risk of blindness tremendously. Considering how many times a day I "see" with my eyes, it seems foolish not to do what is recommended, yet diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness. Even though blindness can be prevented, we often fail to do what is needed to prevent it.

I don't have diabetes, and I don't want it. One of the things I fear most about diabetes is the business of following recommendations, "doing what I'm told". As an adult who was once a strong-willed child, I still want to understand "why" and "why not". The one diabetic recommendation I don't think I would have trouble following is the one about treating eye disease and preventing blindness. If we don't want blindness, we must do what it takes to protect our eyes. I can embrace that.

The world is full of recommendations and guidelines.  Lists of "twenty things you should do", "ten things you should never do" abound, and some of them sound good. How do we sort through all the information available today? How do we know what is true and what is not? Wouldn't it be nice to have a standard of truth against which everything else can be judged? 

It turns out that there is a standard. As followers of Christ, the Bible is our plumb line and everything else can be judged against it. If we obey the instructions God have given us in His Word, we will have a life that is filled with love, joy, peace. That does not mean we will be rich in material things, but in those with eternal significance. The Bible has many if/then promises. They are a little like the 95% reduction in blindness, but they are 100%. If we do what God says, He will do a certain thing.

Here are a few of my particular favorites: (an implied 'then' is in parentheses)

2 Chronicles 7:14 - "IF My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (Just to be sure we're clear, this is a directive for God's people, not the ones who don't know Him.)

Isaiah 1:19 - "IF you consent and obey, (THEN) you will eat the best from the land."

John 15:10,14 - IF you keep my commandments, (THEN) you will abide in My love.

Matthew 6:14-15  IF you forgive men when they sin against you, (THEN) your heavenly Father will also forgive you..."

Matthew 17:20 - IF you have faith as small as a mustard seed, (THEN) you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Those are not simply good recommendations, they are promises from Almighty God. If we do what He says, then we will have such good results as He promises. As encouraging as the 95% prevention of blindness is, these verses should be even more encouraging because they are 100% sure. If we obey, God will respond in ways that will astound us. It only makes good sense to obey.

If we need wisdom for today, we don't have to turn to a "twenty things to do" list that we download from the internet. What we need is TRUTH that stands the test of time, and that truth is readily available. Let's be sure we turn to the One who IS truth when we seek truth.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; 

no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6 NASB

1. https://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy

Deserving a Cupcake: Diabetic retinopathy (spiritual and physical)

"No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." (Luke 11:33-36 NASB)

We are currently taking a detour through a few eye diseases to help us understand the concept of "clear eye" and to make spiritual applications. We have previously considered Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Detached Retina, Cataracts, and Diabetic Retinopathy. You can click on the links to see those. Today, we are taking a little side trip from Diabetic Retinopathy. (You'll be able to find a thread from diabetic retinopathy leading to today's topic.)

An odd thing happened yesterday, and I'm going to confess it. I'm helping in Bible School this week. (That's not the confession part). I'm working with some of my very favorite people. The children are all beautiful and smart, sweet and loving. It was a wonderful day. It was also an incredibly hard and stressful day. After the last precious child left, I, who haven't taken a nap in years, seriously wanted to go home, climb in bed, and take a nap. 

As I was driving home, the thought came to me, "After a day like this, I deserve a cupcake." Yeah, right. If we talked about what I actually deserve, we would not be talking about cupcakes. My bent toward sin should result in death and eternal damnation. I don't deserve a cupcake. I deserve a cup of wrath. It is only because of the mercy and grace of God that I can look forward to an eternity in heaven. Praise God, He doesn't give me what I deserve.

I had hoped to be rid of my sense of entitlement, that attitude of "I deserve". I'm obviously not there yet, and I'm not the only one. The cupcake considerations have left me wondering about this sense of entitlement that has become so pervasive. Why is it that we think we deserve anything at all, that we are entitled to anything at all? 

I reviewed the U.S. Bill of Rights, just in case it has caused this sense of entitlement, but there are no cupcakes in the Bill of Rights. It guarantees our "rights" to certain freedoms like religion, speech, assembly, a free press, keeping and bearing arms, unreasonable search and seizure, among others. It doesn't guarantee a right to the latest cell phone, a big house, central air conditioning, or tasty and nutritious food. It doesn't guarantee housing or transportation. It doesn't guarantee medical care or medication.

As believers, God certainly doesn't guarantee us many of the comforts to which we have become "entitled". It is clear from Scripture that the closest followers of Christ faced trials, peril, persecution, and a martyr's death. The reward was in their relationship with God and the blessings found in eternity. 

Why does a sense of entitlement matter? Entitlement robs us of gratitude. It destroys a sacrifice of thanksgiving. We cannot give thanks in all things if we believe we deserve only the best. When we "deserve" all the best things, nothing is a gift. We accept that which comes our way as our just due rather than as a gift from a gracious and loving God. That sense of deserving the best is a form of pride, and God takes a dim view of such foolishness.

I've repented of my pride and sense of entitlement. Again. I'm counting my blessings and thanking God for His generosity to me. What about you? Has that sense of entitlement slowly crept into your heart, as well? If so, then join me in repenting of our pride and embracing the generosity of God.

"for by grace you have been saved through faith; 

and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 

not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Ephesians 2:8,9 NASB

Diabetic Retinopathy - Physical and Spiritual

"No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." (Luke 11:33-36 NASB)

We are currently taking a detour through a few eye diseases to help us understand the concept of "clear eye" and to make spiritual applications. We have previously considered Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Detached Retina, and Cataracts. You can click on the links to see those. Today, we are exploring Diabetic Retinopathy.

The picture above is frightening to me. This is the same photo we've viewed several times, but this time, it is shown as seen with diabetic retinopathy. In diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness, there is damage to the blood vessels of the eye. This is manifested in two ways. In some people, micro-aneurysms form along the blood vessels of the eye. These tiny aneurysms are ballooned-out areas of thinning and enlargement of the vessels. Very fragile, the micro-aneurysms can rupture and bleed into the eye and cause vision blurring or loss. 

As the retinopathy progresses, the vessels can become blocked, eventually resulting in hypoxia of the retina. The brain reacts to the lack of oxygen in the retina (the hypoxia) by triggering the growth of new blood vessels along the retina. That sounds like a good thing, but it is not. The new vessels are fragile and prone to bleed. When these vessels bleed, the end result is often vision loss and blindness. 

Everyone with diabetes is at risk for retinopathy and nearly half (45%) of the people with diabetes have some degree of retinopathy. There are no warning symptoms, so regular eye exams are essential. That's scary, isn't it? 

What's even scarier is that tight glucose control has been shown to slow the onset and progression of retinopathy. Yes. Keeping our blood sugar under control at all times can help to save our vision. When we are looking at a piece of cake or a bowl of pasta, it's hard to remember that, but it's true. Preventing diabetic retinopathy is done one choice at a time. 

I've tried to avoid carbohydrates recently, and it's harder than I thought. As usual, the thing I say I'm not going to have is the very thing I want. It's not impossible, however. Like most things, limiting carbohydrates is a task done one choice at a time.

Diabetic retinopathy relates to our spiritual lives in more than one way, but we will only consider the issue of choice today. (More later) In the Southern United States, diabetes is rampant. Genetics does play a part, but many cases of Type II diabetes are related to life-style choices. Lack of exercise, excessive simple carbohydrates, too little protein all predispose us to diabetes. Regular exercise, limiting our carbohydrates and processed foods, a steady supply of protein are all lifestyle choices that can help prevent diabetes and keep us healthy. If we choose them. 

Just as important, only one good choice is not enough. Eating chicken every day while also eating a sugary dessert at every meal does not "balance out". Taking medication without changing our diet is not enough. A healthy lifestyle requires that we choose all the actions in a healthy lifestyle. (Diet and exercise)

From a spiritual perspective, Bible study, memorizing Scripture, forgiving those who have wronged us, praying for enemies, and loving our neighbor as ourselves are all choices that can help keep us healthy spiritually.  Jesus summed it up in a simple two-part command. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. If we do that, following Him will be much easier. 

Obedience is not an a la carte menu. God did not present us with a buffet of obedience options. Bible study alone will not make us the disciples Jesus intended us to be, nor will memorizing the entire Bible. Loving God must be accompanied by loving our neighbor, and we must love our neighbor as we love ourselves. 

When we love as we are supposed to love, everything changes. When we love our neighbor as ourselves, we are less likely to condemn our neighbor and more likely to pray for our neighbor. We are less likely to indulge our own wants and more likely to meet the needs of our neighbor, instead. 

If we want to prevent diabetic retinopathy, we must make a series of hard choices every single day. If we want to become the disciple Jesus intended, we must also make a series of hard choices, every single day. Those choices begin with love. 

Of all the choices we can make, the greatest one, the most important one, is love. It changes everything.