So, as we have our tea, I propose not only to operate on your heart so as to change your will, but also on your eyes so as to change your outlook. But wait a minute. No, I do not propose to operate at all. I am just mildly suggesting that you are perhaps dead, and perhaps blind, leaving you to think the matter over for yourself. If an operation is to be performed it must be performed by God Himself.
This quote offers a thought-provoking exploration of human limitation and divine authority. The speaker humorously suggests performing heart and eye surgeries to change someone's will and perspective, only to realize that such profound transformation cannot be achieved through human intervention. Instead, the acknowledgment that only God has the true power to effect such deep, internal change emphasizes humility and the recognition of human finiteness. It prompts us to reflect on the nature of influence and the limits of our control over others' thoughts and spirits. The imagery of operating on the heart and eyes symbolizes both the emotional and perceptual dimensions of human Experience—our passions and beliefs, as well as our outlook and worldview. However, the speaker admits that genuine change is ultimately spiritual and divine rather than mechanical or superficial, underlining a core theological truth rooted in humility and trust in divine sovereignty. This message challenges us to consider how much we can really influence one another and whether attempts to do so are ultimately futile without divine intervention. It also encourages introspection about our own spiritual blindness or deadness, implying that true life and insight come from divine grace. Such reflections are relevant in personal growth, relationships, and faith, emphasizing that transformation is a divine work that we must trust into God's hands, rather than attempt to force or engineer through human effort alone.
---Cornelius Van Til---
