Matthew 6:22-23

I’ve worn glasses since I was a boy. From time to time people will gaze at my glasses and enquire: “Can you actually see anything out of those glasses?” When I take them off I find that, sure enough, grease and dust has accumulated and a good clean transforms their usefulness. The principle is a simple one. Jesus points out how vital it is that we ensure that our lives are full of light.

We need to make sure that we are focusing our attention on those things that will help us to see life generously and clearly. The reason that this is so important is because there is much darkness in the world. With the arrival of the internet we have instant access to destructive and dangerous material as well as resources that inspire and encourage us. Every day we have a choice to make about where we focus our attention. Jesus recognised this when he went on to say that if the light that you think you have is actually darkness, how great is the darkness! We need to know how to identify the light so that we can ensure that our lives are bathed in it.

Back to my glasses for a moment. The reason that I don’t realise that my glasses are dirty is that it happens so slowly and gradually. Only with the help of others am I even aware that it has happened! It’s exactly the same with our spiritual sight. We live in a busy world in which there is so much confusion and darkness. It is therefore vital that we are constantly alert and willing to allow others to help us to see when our spiritual eyesight is getting obscured. As Jesus clearly observed, nothing is more important than us having clear spiritual sight.

Question
What do you do each day to ensure that you are open to the light of Christ?

Prayer
Lord God, thank you that you help me to see clearly in this often dark and confusing world. Amen

Released on 22 Oct 2023