The definition according to Merriam-Webster dictionary of sixth sense is “a special ability to know something that cannot be learned by using the five senses. A power of perception… a keen intuitive power.” Okay, then why are we so sure or judgmental when us humans cannot predict what appears obvious in hindsight? Hindsight is 20/20! Right? Our five God given senses are sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. We have body organs that facilitate these senses if we are so blessed to be born with them. Eyes for sight. Nose for smell. Ears for hearing. Tongue for taste. Finger tips and special sensors all through our body for touch. Pride is not one of those gifts from God. I believe if we really exercise our five senses then we have an excellent chance to become perceptive of our surroundings and perhaps even possess that intuitive power defined as a sixth sense.
As the picture shows there is water everywhere. We are all experts now is saying why didn’t the authorities do something sooner. After all, the weather folks forecasted a huge hurricane that would dump water over east Texas. Did we not listen to the warnings? Well, yes we all listened to a forecast but did we have a sixth sense to predict just how bad it was going to be? I took this picture just outside my house in Louisiana but is no where near the historical event as seen in the Houston area. Should I take precautions? Yes, like getting sandbags and making sure I have ample food and drink in case “Harvey” continues its destructive path over us. But does that cover my potential risk? If it is not a monumental water event, I am confident all is ok. Does that give me the right to condemn others for their lack of preparedness whether victims or authorities who some say should have known? My point is that we all live our lives making preparations as if it all depended on us but in reality we should be aware that we are all subject to conditions beyond our anticipations. We use our five senses to help protect our bodies to the best of our abilities. If we really exercise our bodily senses, we may even become very perceptive far beyond our known abilities. When we possess that intuitive power, we can be used in a mighty way.
In Matthew 16:17, Jesus acknowledged Peter’s intuitive power as a gift from the Father and because of Peter’s gift, Jesus saw the foundation of his church. Now that is a precious gift to us all. In Romans 12:2 we are advised not to conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can receive God’s will. I believe we should tone up our senses, and tone down our rhetoric. We should not look at terrible events that have happened and be prideful that we would have done better after hindsight. We should build up our senses or gifts given to us to a level where our perceptive powers can act in advance of the inevitable news cycles after the fact.
T