Another Word from Luke 11

As most of you know, I wear glasses; and I've worn glasses since I was a kid. And even though they were a little awkward and inconvenient when I first got them, I've been wearing them so long at this point that they might as well be a part of my face. But one of the downsides of how comfortable I am with these lenses through which I see the world is that I can become blind to the subtle ways they obscure my vision.

You see, I can take my glasses off...and discover that they're filthy! They're practically covered with dust, and water stains, and random smudges. But I'm so accustomed to this contamination that I don't even see it.

I think about that when I read today's word from Luke Chapter 11. Jesus is making a point about our eyes. However, I don't think he's really talking about the physical organs through which we look at the world. No, he's talking about our "spiritual eyes" — the "lenses" through which we view and make sense of life. And kind of like my eyeglasses, Jesus says that the condition of our "eyes" plays a big role in determining what we see.

"Your eye is the lamp of your body," Jesus says. "When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness." (Lk. 11:34-35)

You see if our "eyes" or "spiritual lenses" are covered with distractions, and worries, and misplaced desires, and sins...well...then it's awfully hard to see accurately all the blessings that God has given us and all the good things that He wants to do in and through us.

And so today, would you clean the "lenses" through which you look at the world? Would you ask God to remind you of all His gifts and to cleanse you of the sins that are so close to your face you can't even see them anymore? And if you'll do those things, maybe you can see more light—and be more light—for a world that needs it desperately. Amen.