A HEALTHY EYE
Jenna Worsham
Today’s Scripture: “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” Matthew 6:22
Theme: Look at what you view, consume, or follow. Is it healthy, is your body full of light?
LITMUS TEST
A litmus test measures acidity or alkalinity using litmus. It is a decisive and reliable test. Thus, the term has a secondary meaning; it is a decisively indicative test. “The eye” as described in Matthew 6:22, or what we view, consume, and internalize is a good litmus test for holistic health of the entire “body” or being. When I am in a self-described “dark place,” a good place to look for solutions may be my eye, or more specifically the things I’m choosing to spend time focused on, literally.
IMPERFECT VISION
Sometimes my perceptions are inaccurate. Whatever I look at is negative. Even beauty looks dark. I prefer ugly or scary things. It’s like I’m “seeing things imperfectly” (1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT) and need glasses. In those times, maybe I need correction to my perspective? My daughter hated a book she had to read for school. I get it. She adores reading and storytelling. She reads voraciously in her free time. Reading slowly, methodically, picking apart characters and themes not rushing through the slow parts to get to the “good part.” It was awful! I read the same book after she did. I like to share that sort of experience and context. Plus, the quotes on Goodreads looked interesting, although also sad, dark even. While the story was heartbreaking, it was also beautiful and thought provoking. My focus was on the plot, character development, and life lessons. Her focus was likely on the assignments, classwork, and difficult teaching style. Maybe both of us needed a perspective shift to understand properly.
Make It Personal: What do I regularly view, consume, and follow? Is my “whole body” currently “full of light,” healthy? If not, are there possible causes (related to my viewing/consumption) to consider?
Pray: Father God, thank you for creating light and for showing us how good light is. You said Jesus is the light of the world and I want to be like Him. Help me to look at, view, consume and follow things that will result in lightness and light in and around me. You want good and wholesome things for me; help me to want those, too.
Read: John 8:12; Genesis 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 13:12
Weekly Memory Verse: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV