Effective Eyes

Have you ever walked into a dark house? As you open the door, you feel fear. Who is there? What is happening in this lifeless space? You want the darkness to disappear. So, the best thing to do is to press the button to light up the room, right?

After you turn on the light you see that only one out of four lightbulbs is working. That’s why the room is dim. It’s not a lack of strength in the electricity. Three of the lightbulbs are burned out. They need changing.

Likewise, a person may have the Spirit of God living within them and yet not shine brightly for Christ. It’s not a question of how strong the Spirit is. It’s how much fruit of the Spirit will shine when darkness hits. The fruit is our “bulb” — our eyes and our hearts reflect that light of God.

Since light is more effective in darkness, the darker the place, the more light shines. The darker the world becomes, the more the fruit of the Spirit will be apparent. The fruit of the Spirit consists of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These quailites can stir up the heart of a person to see things with purity.

The light coming from within us will not only light up our surroundings; it will also sharpen our vision. We will see things the way God sees them. We’ll be able to make a difference because this genuine light from within shines through our eyes and our lives. When you and I enter a room, it will light up the space.

*Dear God, thank you for giving me eyes to see. Strengthen me and keep my eyes healthy so through me, you can fill my space with abundant light. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Go Deeper — Imagine your heart is made up of various rooms, one for each of your desires and passions. Are you inviting the Spirit to shine his light into each of them, or are you keeping some of them off limits? Read My Heart, Christ's Home to reflect on this question in God's presence.