Keep your Eyes Open
An acquaintance had a wreck. A truck pulled out in front of her. I asked whether she saw the truck. “Yes,” she replied, “I saw it, but I just closed my eyes.”
Jesus pointed his listeners to an obvious truth---one does not turn on the light and put it where it cannot shine. Specifically, He said, “No one lights a lamp and puts it where it will be hidden . . . you put it on a stand so that those who come may see. Your eyes are the lamp of your body,” Jesus continued. “When your eyes are good, your whole body is full of light.” (Luke 11:33ff) Logically then, this means when we close our eyes our body is full of darkness.
When we turn on a light, we may see things we do not like such as the kids’ toys on the floor or the dust on the table. I once fell during the night over my own shoes on the floor. Remaining in darkness will not change such things.
Closing our eyes to the world around us means we put the lights of our body, our eyes, under a basket. My friend who had been in the wreck closed her eyes; but the truck was still in her way. Most days my wife and I watch the evening news together. I seldom like what I see. Sometimes the news is so depressing I tell myself I will not watch it anymore. Then I think, “That would mean I was putting the light of my body under a basket.”
Generally, there is little I can do about the wrong I see on the news. We Christians often throw up our hands shouting, “There is nothing I can do.” Occasionally, however, there is some small matter I can personally address. May God help me do so.
The media principle goes as follows: tell the truth, tell the whole truth to as many people as possible. Hopefully, humanity is good enough and brave enough to correct its wrongs; but first, we must see them.
Regardless of how bad news depresses you and no matter how much you would like to hide from reality, it is in everyone’s best interest for all of us to know “what is going on out there.” Keep your eyes open!
