Kingdom Alignment Part 8

At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Alignment,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.

Last week in our Kingdom Alignment series, we asked a searching question: “What do I truly value?” Jesus taught us that where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also. This week He takes us one step further. He moves from the heart to the eyes.

Matthew 6:22–23 (NIV)
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

Have you ever noticed that two people can experience exactly the same situation and walk away with completely different conclusions? One notices beauty while another notices only problems. One sees opportunity while another sees obstacles. The circumstances have not changed. The eyes have.

When Jesus spoke about a healthy eye, His listeners would have understood the expression. In Jewish culture, a “healthy” or “good” eye described someone who was generous and saw life through the lens of God’s abundance. An unhealthy or bad eye described someone who was stingy, envious, or constantly afraid there would never be enough. That explains why Jesus places these verses immediately after His teaching on treasure. Treasure shapes vision. What we value determines how we see. We often think our greatest problem is our circumstances, but sometimes the issue is not what is happening around us. It is the lens through which we are viewing it.

It reminds me of cleaning the windows around the house. Living here in the Keys, the salt spray, dust, and summer rain quickly leave a film on the glass. You do not always notice how dirty the windows have become until you clean them. Suddenly everything outside seems brighter, sharper, and more beautiful. The world did not change. The window did. In the same way, Jesus is inviting us to examine the condition of our spiritual vision. Perhaps the greatest change that needs to happen is not around us but within us.

Last week Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Now He tells us that our eyes fill our lives with either light or darkness. These teachings belong together. The heart shapes the eyes, and the eyes shape the life. Whatever captures our hearts begins to shape how we interpret everything around us. If my heart treasures fear, I will begin seeing danger everywhere. If my heart treasures success or status, I will constantly compare myself with others. But if my heart treasures Christ, I will begin recognizing His presence, His provision, and His opportunities in places I may have overlooked before.

This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a pastor at Keys Vineyard Church and also the founder of the Online Bible Institute Network.