Pink, Green or Blue?

The graphic below is going around the internet right now. Here’s the question being asked. What colors are the spirals? Pink, green and blue. Right?

Wrong! It’s actually only pink and green. You can check out how that is possibly true at this website.

I’m sure you’ve seen all kinds of optical illusions. One of my favorites is the old woman/young woman optical illusions. Which do you see?

Saul the Mirage

These optical illusions remind me of King Saul. Here’s Saul’s story in a nutshell:

Saul was the first king of Israel. He was the youngest son from a unimportant family from the smallest tribe in Israel. Saul is anointed king by the prophet Samuel. Initially Saul does great things, following God’s will. Then he makes a mistake, then another – not minor mistakes but major ones. Samuel tells Saul the kingdom will be ripped from his family. This comes true with David eventually being placed on the throne.

Saul’s life as a leader is an optical illusion. He looks like one thing, but really is something completely different.

Saul’s life as a leader is an optical illusion. He looks like one thing, but really is something completely different. Click To Tweet

It begins with the anointing of Saul as king. Samuel, pulls Saul to the side, anoints him as king, and sends Saul home. As Saul turns to go home, this is what Scripture says,

As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart…  -1 Samuel 10:9

It’s a salvation-type moment. Saul’s heart is changed. The Message translates this as “transformed”.

God does something new in Saul’s life. He is transformed. Saul doesn’t even fully recognize it, but God begins the process of making Saul into a man God can use to lead Israel.

Which is the optical illusion.

Everyone around Saul sees transformation but Saul. When Saul is later introduced to the people of Israel, he is hiding with the baggage. The new king is hiding from his own coronation!

Saul never sees himself as anything but a youngest son of an unimportant family from the smallest tribe in the land.

Several years into his reign, Saul is given the task of righting a wrong. The Amalekites dishonored Israel years before when Israel passed through from Egypt. Saul receives very specific instructions on how to handle the task. Long story short, he stops short of obeying God.

Confronted by Samuel,  Saul blames the people. Samuel responds,

Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you as king of Israel.  -1 Samuel 15:17

Saul looked like a king. He’s anointed by God as king. Saul doesn’t see himself as king. He is a mirage, an optical illusion, so he behaves like a small person.

Are You an Optical Illusion?

Here is the truth about Saul.

• God changed him.
• He was a new man.
• People around him saw it.
• People also responded to his transformation.

This is also the truth about Saul. He never saw the transformation himself. It was just an optical illusion.

Are you an optical illusion?

If you believe in and follow Jesus, you are transformed. Your heart of stone is now a heart of flesh. You are a new creation in Jesus.

Do you see it? Is it just an optical illusion?

Here is a more important question. If you can’t see it, are you willing to believe it? Are you willing to believe you are transformed?

A few weeks ago, I shared five steps Jesus spoke of to find freedom. It begins with belief. Jesus asked this question all throughout the Gospel of John.

Do you believe?

If you believe, and you sit in that belief, your actions will follow. You will no longer be an optical illusion!

Today, sit in truth. You are transformed. You are no longer the youngest child of an unimportant family of the smallest tribe.

You are a child of God!