What is the focal point of your eyes? With the advent of summer comes girls who wear less clothes and guys who do more looking. The apostle John referred to this when he described the three ways that we desire life apart from God. He called it sin, namely the lust of the eyes, wanting something that’s not ours and not part of God’s design for our lives (see 1 John 2:16). The focal point of our eyes might be on the other end of a mouse click, a remote, a steering wheel, a monthly subscription, or a swimming pool.
The problem is that the image never satisfies (see 1 John 2:17). We often think that short-term gratification will fulfill our desires, but the recurring images leave us feeling guilty and wanting more of a quenching fix to satisfy our thirsty souls. Three thousand years ago, Solomon wrote that the eyes are never satisfied (see Proverbs 27:20).
Women are not off the hook. Solomon had a little experience with the opposite sex with 700 wives and 300 concubines (see 1 Kings 11:3). He said that a woman attempts to captivate another man with her eyes (see Proverbs 6:25). You know the look. It comes from her desire to be pursued and nurture the one who pursues her. Women not only use their eyes, they frequently leverage their bodies to attract the attention of another man.
Jesus said that the eyes and the heart are inextricably linked (see Matthew 5:28). We see the temptation, we desire the temptation in our hearts, and then we act with our bodies. Temptation is not sin. Our desire to pursue life apart from God is sin (see James 1:13-15). Each one of us will be tempted, but God will always provide a doorway out (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). Jesus said that the solution is the FOCUS of the eyes because they are linked to the heart, which controls the actions of our bodies (see Matthew 5:27-30).
The author of Hebrews penned: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). This is a portrait of a runner fixing his eyes on a mile marker in the distance in order to keep his path straight. Where do you currently fix the eyes of your heart, on Christ or your temptations? Today, ask God to refocus the eyes of your heart toward Him.
Episode 44: FOCUS from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.