Matthew 6:22-23a “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.”
Bad vision causes lots of problems. It’s hard to read, difficult to distinguish faces from a distance, and often causes the sufferer to make significant mistakes. Jesus used the example of poor eyesight to illustrate how a person can be spiritually impaired. If our spiritual eyes are not working well, then the darkness masks the light of truth.
I can still remember a specific day in my sixth grade year of school. My mom had me called down from my classroom, and we walked the short distance up to Kearny Avenue to the local optometrist. After the doctor fit me with my first ever pair of eyeglasses, I stepped out into a brand new world.
The green carpet of grass separating the sidewalk from the street materialized into individual blades of grass. I realized that the red and white sign at the intersection had an important message about crossing the street. And upon returning to school I finally clearly understood that the teacher’s chicken scratch on the blackboard at the front of the class actually spelled out important information I needed to know.
What a difference a pair of prescription eyeglasses made to my life! Everything was brighter and clearer.
Jesus explained to His disciples that good eyesight was needed to clearly see and appropriate the truths of His Kingdom. The world paints a distorted picture of what is good and desirable. Striving for financial gain in order to supply all of life’s necessities as well as all of the extras for comfort and luxury is one of the areas that stand like a roadblock to heavenly blessing. Those who are spiritually blind fall into this trap.
But Jesus assured His followers that they did not need to worry about their life, what they would eat or drink, or what they would wear. “Life is more important than food and body is more important than clothes,” He explained.
Pointing to nature, the Divine Teacher, reminded His disciples that the birds of the air didn’t worry about what they would eat. They do not sow crops or labor in the fields. Nor do the wildflowers spin clothes to wear. They are well taken care of by their Heavenly Father who provides for all of their needs in abundance. “So why then,” Jesus reasoned, “should you worry? You are more important than these.” “If God feeds the
birds and clothes the grass of the field which lasts for only a short time, how much more will He clothe you?”
Instead, He instructed, “Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Today we can also fall into this same trap. Our dim vision of God and His purposes cause us to strive to climb the ladder of success so we can have bigger and better technology, the newest car, or a fancier house. Everything else takes a back seat as we frantically pursue more in order to become financially secure for our retirement or provide for our child’s education and future.
While it is important to be wise in handling our affairs, our blindness to the truth can create unnecessary worry and overshadow our trust in our Heavenly Father. The Lord knows what we need, even in this day and age, and will supply in His time and His way.
Bad spiritual vision causes a lot of problems and unnecessary stress. So put on your spiritual glasses of faith and don’t worry! Let unbelievers blindly run around after the necessities and niceties of life. Your Heavenly Father knows everything you need before you even ask. So give all your attention and effort to seeking His Kingdom, and He will provide the rest!
Love,
Mama
Sandra Sheridan is a midwest wife and mother of five. She shares her letters to her children with our readers. Visit her at www.VersesFromMama.com.
