Refresh Your Eyes

How do your eyes look and feel today? It may be that allergies are making your eyes itchy and uncomfortable. You may be feeling eye-strain as you go about your day sporting the bloodshot look. Perhaps you are self-consciously trying to hide tears ... or cover up some dark circles. I'm a fan of allergy drops and creams that are supposed to miraculously turn the dark bags into a visage of beauty. But by far the best refresher for our eyes is to make sure we are using them the way our Maker intended.

"Oh, be careful little eyes what you see..." comes from a popular old children's chorus. Yet, this is something we must be reminded of at any age. Just as we refresh our homes in the spring with spring cleaning, let's refresh ourselves (the most intimate possession we have), beginning with our eyes. With our #1 cleansing agent (Bible) in hand, keeping open communication with our Lead Cleaner (Holy Spirit) ... let's go!

1. When is the last time you looked with interest into God's Word and really focused on what He is saying to you? How often do you spend quality time with God?

"Blessed is the man ... his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1a, 2

Helpful Hints: Many people have more than one Bible. Keep them scattered around places you spend time in your home and have one in the car to use during unexpected delays or surprise opportunities to share Christ. If you are busy with little children, keep a Bible in a drawer in the bathroom and read it when you have to be in there alone. Keep one on your dresser and commit to reading at least one verse when you wake up and one verse before you go to sleep. Choose a special place to meet God every day. Keep a basket there with your study Bible, a pen, journal, Kleenex, chap stick - whatever it will take to make it a place without distractions for sweet intimacy with your Savior. Keep Our Daily Bread or something similar on your nightstand or kitchen table to remind you to spend time in God's Word individually and as a family.

2. Look around your house. Is there anything laying out or that you have on the TV that you would hide/change if your pastor were coming over in five minutes?

"For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light." Luke 8:17

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ... and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:8,11

"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." I Timothy 4:12

Helpful Hints: It may be time to clean house ... look at it as weeding. Is there a video that you've kept in your home that is bothering your conscience. It may be best for you to throw it away. The same goes with those romance novels that stir up in you discontentment and unrealistic expectations. Don't be tempted to resell them, just get rid of them. Ahhh! It feels so good to have a clear conscience and a house clear of questionable or sinful clutter. "Pastor, you can come over anytime! Feel free to look in the closets, too!" The truth is, God is in our homes all the time and knows what we have hidden. We can't hide anything from God.

3. Let's consider for a moment TV, movies, internet. It's so easy to get conditioned to watching things we feel strong enough to handle. After all, the same stuff doesn't seem to bother our friends. But our eyes and minds are very delicate and easily deceived. What do you think God would say about what you watch?

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but god is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." I Corinthians 10:12-13

Helpful Hints: Place Scripture verses by the TV, computer, tape it onto the remote ... anywhere that will check your conscience. Plan ahead what you are going to do if something unacceptable comes up ... study your Bible and pray about what IS acceptable. Teach your children how to use the TV and computer responsibly. What a tremendous opportunity to teach our children HOW to use their eyes with tools that can be used for good or evil. Have the computer placed in a heavy traffic area of the house for accountability. Take "Sabbaths" from modern technology.

4. What books have you been enjoying this year? Are they books that help you or could cause harm? Are they romance novels that cause you to be discontent or are they books/magazines filled with words that build up your mind, creativity & spirit - helping you grow more into the person God wants you to be?

"Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." Philippians 4:8

Helpful Hints: Join a Bible study and get into THE BOOK of books! Subscribe to an edifying magazine such as: Proverbs 31 Woman, Israel My Glory, In Touch with Charles Stanley, World, and many others ... these will also have great book ideas in them to guide you into healthful, enjoyable reading habits. Ask your friends about a local Christian book club.

5. When you see a genuine need do you do something about it or look away? Do you feed the hungry but neglect to show them the Bread of Life?

"If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

James 2:15-16

Helpful Hints: Look for opportunities to serve fellow believers and also out in your community. Look for a Christian based Aid to Women crises pregnancy center or a mission that not only feeds people food but also the Word of God. Be sure that you make an opportunity to let others know you are doing it because of all that Christ as done for you. Humbly deflect any praise and glory to God. Are there beggars on the corner near your grocery store? So they won't use money for alcohol or drugs, buy $5.00 gift cards for the nearby fast food restaurant and put one in a zip lock bag with an invitation to your church and an effective Gospel tract.

6. Do you look into the eyes of people without guilt? Or is there something inside that you need to confess and turn away from with God's help?

"Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." James 1:21 - 25

Helpful Hints: Ask God to show you if there is any hidden sin in your life. Study I John 1 and genuinely ask for forgiveness. Go to people you've wronged - ask for forgiveness and make it right. Don't just convince yourself everything is okay and ignore the Holy Spirit. On the other hand don't be too self-introspective. Let God show you what needs to be done, then look to Him for the strength to do it.

7. Do you spend enough time with your husband and children, looking at them with sincere interest and love? If you are single, do you spend intimate time with God and take time to look at others with His eyes?

"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;" Romans 12:9-10

Helpful Hints: If you're anything like me you might find yourself trying to get time to yourself and take a break from people. If you are single, you may be tempted to use all your time for yourself and your own desires. While we have so many demands on our time and countless tasks to perform ... there must be times set aside when we give our entire attention to God and to His people. Involve your family and friends with you in your work and ministries. Spend time looking into God's Word together, especially before bedtime when little minds can think about what was read. For married women, remember when you were dating and the attention you showered on your man. Don't get too busy to give him your attention ... see how he lights up and how it draws you closer together.

8. How often do you take time to look around at God's creation and take time to praise Him for His awesome power and holiness?

"'To whom then will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal?' says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and see Who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing." Isaiah 40:25-26

Helpful Hints: My sister wisely reminded me, "We need beauty." Life can get so busy and hectic that I find I hardly take time to enjoy God's creation. How about you? We need to take walks, take a drive out in the country, take time to look closely at a flower, take time to smell freshly bathed baby hair, buy some flowers just to decorate the kitchen table, listen to the breeze and breathe in the fragrance of a fresh spring rain! And say, "Thank You, God!

9. When you go to church do you only look for your friends or do you make a point to seek out visitors? Do you keep your eyes open for those who need an encouraging word?

"Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:4

Helpful Hints: Get out your church directory if you have one (hopefully it's one with pictures). Look through the names and faces of those you don't know. Try to memorize the name of at least one new person a week, pray for them, and then look for them on Sunday and visit with them. Instead of going out with the group you always do, invite someone you don't know well out for ice cream or over to your house. Keep it simple so they feel comfortable. Pray for opportunities on Sunday to be a blessing to someone you haven't met before. Is your Bible study group closed or open to new people? It's important that if it is closed there are other opportunities to meet and fellowship with other people at other times. And don't just look for people your age - look for someone who is different than you.

10. Do you keeping looking back to the past with regret and guilt when God has already forgiven you? You need to look ahead with hope and grace!

"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-13

Helpful Hints: Whenever you start looking back, stop yourself and make a habit of thinking TRUTH. If you are really under attack from the enemy, leave the room and change your activity. Pray through Ephesians 6 regarding the armor of God. Repeat to yourself, "I am forgiven. God's grace is sufficient for today. I am special to God!" Carry Scripture verses with you to retrain your mind with healthy thinking. It may help to ask a godly friend to be an accountability partner. Surround yourself with edifying friends who will speak the truth in love.

In the next couple days make it a point to have a conversation with a trusted friend about how God is growing you in the area of how you use your eyes. Encourage one another by discussing ways you can honor God with your lovely, one-of-a-kind "windows to your soul." I am praying that your eyes will be refreshed today!