Pastoral Perspective: Focusing on Jesus provides better sight

The year was 1978. It was fourth grade and Mrs. Portz was my teacher. I grew up in Iowa. I was struggling to see the chalkboard (yes, chalkboard) clearly and then I would look down at my paper and it would be difficult to read as well. It seemed everything was blurry. I let it go for a while, but finally told my parents.

A few weeks later I was sporting my first pair of glasses, but not just any old pair of spectacles. These glasses were bifocals. I wasn’t “four eyes,” I was “six eyes.” I would wear my glasses out to recess hoping they would break so I wouldn’t have to wear them.

Fast forward. Now, I get to call my glasses “progressives,” which may be a code-word for “getting older.” I am thankful for my glasses. I can see better. I can see with clarity.

Jesus, in his famous Sermon on the Mount, said, “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.” He is not speaking of our physical eye, but he is speaking factually and metaphorically.

Factually, a person with spiritually clear sight, walks in the light. Conversely, a person who walks in darkness is spiritually blind.

Metaphorically, the eye affects our whole body. A seeing eye gives light and meaning to what we do for the Lord while a blind eye plunges us into darkness.

“If our spiritual perspective is correctly adjusted, then our life is filled with purpose and drive. But if our vision becomes clouded … our whole life is in darkness” — John Stott.

Sometimes, our spiritual eyesight needs corrected and adjusted so things become clearer.

I encourage you to read the book of Proverbs and mark all the verses that have to do with our eyes and our vision. It is an interesting study. We are challenged not to be wise in our own eyes. We are encouraged to stay focused on what lies ahead and not what lies behind. We are warned against foolishly thinking we are right in our own eyes. If you will allow me just a few more moments of your time, there are three passages from the Scriptures that speak volumes to the importance of a clear, spiritually fixed eyesight.

First, what we physically see affects us spiritually. Psalm 101:2-3 says, “… I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” In a world where our eyes are inundated with more information, pictures, graphics, and scenery than ever before, the psalmist's verses hang in the air as a warning that worthless things will corrupt our integrity and those things will affect our heart, our passions.

Second, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 is a picture of future grace, a reminder that this world is passing away and a reminder that suffering prepares us for something greater.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

These verses can give us clarity or the right perspective regarding difficult circumstances or suffering. There are things we cannot see that are eternal (Hebrews 11:13-16 gives us an example).

Third, the writer of Hebrews says this in chapter 12. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scoring its shame, and sat down a the right hand of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lost heart.”

Jesus is our pursuit. There is this quote from the movie, The Patriot, “Aim small. Miss small.” The idea is to be laser-focused on the target. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus” is actually a command and I cannot think of anything better onto which we fix our gaze!

Helen Howarth Lemmel wrote between 400-500 hymns in her lifetime. While living in Europe she contracted a disease that would eventually take her eyesight. In the midst of that affliction, that suffering, Helen penned these words, “O soul are you weary and troubled, no light in the darkness you see. There’s light for a look at the Savior and life more abundant and free. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”

Helen fixed her eyes on Jesus even in the midst of her affliction, a circumstance outside of her control.

This Christmas, no matter the circumstances, look to Jesus. He is worthy of your full attention and he never disappoints. There will be a myriad of things that will vie for your attention throughout the holidays. I encourage you to not get caught up in the distractions from what was the greatest gift ever given to mankind, Jesus. Fix your gaze on the only One who can direct your path (Proverbs 16:9).

Rev. Jarrod Bartholomew pastors at Pontiac Bible Church

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Jarrod Bartholomew Pastoral Perspective on focused sight on Jesus