Forthright Magazine http://forthright.net Straight to the Cross When troubles come, no one knows better than Job. 'In Search of Perfection: Studies from Job,' by Michael E. Brooks. Click here: http://www.forthrightpress.com COLUMN: FIELD NOTES If your eye is good by Michael E. Brooks http://tinyurl.com/3doy8p5 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore you eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness" (Matthew 6:22-23 NKJV). Khulna Bible College [KBC] is fortunate in its neighbors. On one side of the campus is a school and orphanage. On another side is a large private hospital which is modern and considerably above average in terms of facility and standard of care. This hospital offers general medical care now, but the first unit which opened was an ophthalmological unit. Eye care remains a specialty, and people come from all over Bangladesh for diagnosis, treatment and surgery. Sometimes those patients are family members or friends of KBC personnel. When that is the case they often visit us, and close family members may stay on campus with their relatives while undergoing treatment. One man had cataract surgery and remained with his family for the period of surgery and aftercare. It was interesting to see his concern, his careful attention to doctor's instructions, and his general desire to take care of that valuable possession — eyesight. In his statement about the eye in Matthew 6, Jesus was not primarily concerned with physical vision. Rather he is using the importance of vision as an illustration to remind us that spiritual perspective is critical to eternal life. How we see, that is how we view things, determines the righteousness (light) or wickedness (darkness) of our lives. If one's perspective is off, the whole body is filled with darkness (sin or evil) and the soul will be condemned to destruction (1 John 1:5-7). Perspective is critical. Why do some see fault in everyone, regardless of their actions? Why are some quick to judge harshly, condemning others even without evidence? There is the inclination to see what is wrong, rather than to look for the right. Someone has remarked, "Everyone tends to attribute to others the faults that lie within themselves." That means if we would steal, we assume that anyone else, given the opportunity, would also steal. That is our perspective, our way of looking at people and things. When asked why he taught in parables, Jesus answered, "Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand" (Matthew 13:13). His audience of unbelieving Jews had no desire to be convinced that he was the promised Messiah, therefore nothing would persuade them, regardless of how conclusive the evidence might be. Paul refers to those who have this perspective as "They who did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2:10). In contrast those who seek after God will find him because "He is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27). Faith is to a great extent a matter of choice, determining how one evaluates and deals with the evidence. Those who love truth and seek God will believe and be saved. Those who prefer to serve themselves and material gods will reject the Gospel and be lost (Romans 1:18-25). The Holy Spirit encourages us to have a positive perspective in all things. We are to meditate on things that are noble, just, pure, lovely, of virtue and of good report (Philippians 4:8). We are to "hold fast to what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Our lives must be filled with joy (Philippians 4:4) and with gratitude and praise for God (Philippians 4:6). When the eye (perspective) is good, one's life is filled with righteousness, faith and hope. God is glorified. Eternal life is promised. ---- Read this article online, write your reaction, and read others' comments as well. Click here: http://tinyurl.com/3doy8p5 You can help get the word out. Here's how: http://forthright.net/help/