Tuesday, July 27

Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. But now Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. Psalm 39:6-7

Begin today with a time of confession – perhaps of sin in your heart – but certainly of the “bustle” of your life. Ask God to give you a new perspective on your “pursuit of wealth and happiness” so that you will be more aware of the true source of your joy.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Matthew 6:22-23

People who study these things tell us that the average American sees something like 50,000 television commercials by the time they are 18 years old. We also know that the average American family carries significant credit card debt. I believe there is a connection, don’t you?

Why do companies invest so much money in creating advertising campaigns for their products? The simple answer is – because it works! Marketers have learned that “the lamp of the body is the eye” – that is we have a seemingly instinctive tendency to want what we see. Therefore, if an advertiser can get the product in front of our eyes, and make it look attractive enough, there’s a good chance we will want it and buy it – even if we don’t need it!

Jesus is challenging us to acknowledge and understand our own desires and priorities. He wants us to learn to discipline our eyes. He wants us to pay attention to what we see and how we see. He wants us to learn to see the difference between that which is material and temporary, and that which is spiritual and eternal.

Take a few moments to think about your eyesight. What do you see? On what kinds of things are your eyes, your mind and your heart focused on? Are you an easy target for the marketers of this world? Do you look for and see that which is eternal as often as you see and look for that which is material and temporary?

Ask God to improve your eyesight – that you will learn increasingly to see the things he wants you to see!

Brian Coffey