Seeing What Truly Matters
By Dean Collins
Have you ever tried to read in a dimly lit room? When I was younger, the amount of light didn’t seem to matter much. But as you get older, having good light when you are reading becomes necessary.
Jesus wasn’t talking about the wattage of your reading lamp in Matthew 5 when he told us that we are the light of the world. As light, we are not to hide our light but to put it on a stand so that everyone can see. While Jesus wasn’t talking about our light helping someone read a book, I think he was suggesting that our light helps others “read” our culture. Our lives can help others discover that followers of Jesus have a light that helps us navigate the culture and even discover the goodness and grace of God.
In chapter 6, the topics of our eyes and light come up again. This time, Jesus speaks about the health of our eyes.
Many of my friends have been having cataract surgery lately. One comment I hear every time a friend has this surgery is how bright and clear everything becomes within hours. Jesus wasn’t talking about cataracts, but he did say that if our eyes are healthy, our whole body will be full of light. And if our eyes are bad, our lives will be filled with darkness.
The darkness Jesus describes in chapter 6 is directly related to what we value most. Jesus said that if we focus on treasures connected to wealth and the things of this world, we won’t be able to clearly see the treasures he wants to provide—treasures that don’t fade after a few years or simply provide some money to leave for our children and grandchildren.
Eternal treasures are ours in abundance when we choose to place the kingdom of God ahead of everything else. And when we choose to view and value things the way God does, it is like having spiritual cataract surgery. Suddenly, our hearts and minds begin to align with Jesus, and we gain clarity about God, about life, and about how we spend our time.
If we focus on the wrong things, we simply cannot see the things of God clearly or focus on what truly matters.
Maybe it’s time for some spiritual cataract surgery.
The good news is you don’t have to worry about whether it is covered by your health plan. All you have to do is surrender your heart to the Great Physician. He didn’t just pay the deductible for your surgery; he paid the full debt so that you can see clearly, love deeply, and shine your light for others to see!
Father, thank you for paying the price for our sins. Thank you for giving us a way to see and know your will and to reflect your good works for others to see. We want you to shine brightly through us today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Matthew 5:14-16, 6:19-24 ESV
Photo by Pexels
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