THE LIGHT OF THE BODY
As the plane sliced through the clouds getting higher and higher, I realized that I was getting farther and farther away from my daughter and grandbabies. I was blessed to be able to go to my daughters for Thanksgiving in Norfolk, Va. I had ten beautiful days with them. Even though we could not go places or eat out like we usually do, we played games, did stickers, played store and barbies. What an amazing trip! I had not seen them for a year, because of covid and now, it was once again time for me to fly back to the reality of life without them close. There is something I will never forget when they dropped me off at the airport to come home. As I hugged each one of them and held my daughter close, I will never forget my nine-year-old grandson’s eyes. He reminds me so much of my husband who has been gone from this earth for eleven years. He has curly hair; acts like he never knew a stranger and has those big brown eyes. After I hugged him, I looked at him and his beautiful brown eyes were a huge pool of tears. He realized that the day had finally come that I had to leave. In his eyes, I have always seen the look of when he is kidding you and when he is being serious. There is so much expression in just looking into those eyes!
With the coronavirus, even more prevalent in our lives, we are realizing that one of the important things to do in order to be safe from the virus, is to wear our mask everywhere we go. At work, I wear my mask all day, except when I eat or drink. Some think this in infringing on their rights as an American. But they still stop at the stop lights and obey the laws that have been in force. There are just some things a person must do in order to stay safe and in order to keep others safe. With us wearing masks, we can only see each other’s eyes. We can learn so much from a person’s eyes. I have realized that looking into people’s eyes we can tell if they are sad, happy, serious or just thinking. Those eyes tell us what a person is thinking or feeling inside their hearts. The eyes are the light of the body.
Matthew 6:22-23 reads “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your 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.” Those who are blind, only see darkness. They cannot see all the sparkling lights of this time of year. They cannot look at the beauty of the ocean or a baby’s smile. They always live-in darkness. But these verses are not talking about the physical darkness, but the spiritual darkness. When a person does not follow God’s light but would rather follow the darkness that sin can cause, they are walking in darkness every day. I would rather walk in the light, wouldn’t you? In the darkness, I would rather have a flashlight so I could see where I am going so, I do not fall. Psalm 119:105 reads “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” This verse tells us if we are to walk in the light, that we need to study and put into practice the study of the word of God, the Bible. The Bible tells us how to maneuver thru this life. How to stay in the light of God and be a light for God. It tells us what path to follow in order to not fall into the snares of the devil, who is full of darkness. 1 John 1:5a thru 7 reads, “…God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” The word “walk” means that some kind of action is being done. Our lives are to reflect the light that is given us through Jesus. We are to be a light unto this dark world. Our light must be so bright by our everyday activities, that others see that light and are drawn to us because they see only the light and not the darkness that they have been surrounded by. Those who are in darkness, want to know and understand, thru us, how they can live in that light also. With God in our hearts, He will light our path and our everyday activities become clear. If our God is mighty enough to ignite the sun, could it be that He is mighty enough to light our path?
Won’t you be glad when the new year comes, when we can leave this year of 2020 when so many have been thrown into the darkness. A report I was reading said that 40% of Americans, in the month of September were depressed. That is almost half of the people in this great nation of freedom that we live in. Maybe you are one of them. The elderly are having a huge struggle. They have been confined to their homes for almost nine months! I have been so proud of my dad. He has found things to do while being confined. He does puzzles, watches westerns and keeps his mind busy. It is hard when you have been used to getting out and going places and being with people and then have to stare at four walls every day. I have not hugged my dad in all those months. That is so sad. My family are huggers. That is one way that we show our love for each other. I miss the fact that when with my church family, we cannot hug. But yet when I look into their eyes, I can see the love and appreciation for each other.
Just like those pools of tears in my grandsons’ eyes, we can tell a lot about a person when looking into their eyes. There are so many emotions in those lights of the body! Try looking into people’s eyes and see what they say. Are they showing God’s light or are they showing darkness because of a life of sin?
When Jesus died on the cross, He gave each one of us the responsibility of continuing His life of light. Did you realize that a candle, when lighting another candle, does not give up any of its own light? Have you ever been to a candle light ceremony? One candle lights another and then that candle, lights another. Before too long, the whole area is full of light! Where there was darkness, now there is light! Show this world that there is a better way to live their lives, by lighting the path of others. Is there something you can do to light up someone else’s day of loneliness because of this pandemic?
This has been a dark year but it also has been one of much light. Just look around you. My daughter’s husband who is in the Navy, was deployed here right at Thanksgiving and Christmastime. Their children are four of my eight grandkids and one great. They are all under the age of 11. My daughter can see darkness because he will possibly be gone until next June! But she is strong and has the light of Jesus shining within her giving her courage to face the next few months with strength and courage. She was at the store the other day buying necessities and her bill was about $50 dollars. The person behind her paid for all of it! Someone showing their light in this darkness. Can you do something like that for another and shine your light?
I will never forget those precious brown eyes looking at me with pools of tears. Those sweet eyes have several months to go till his daddy comes home. But time goes by so quickly, one day will go into a month after month until the time he comes home.
Look around you and you can see, even in this year of darkness, light shining forth from people’s eyes and their actions. If you feel darkness, starting to engulf you, reach out to others. Let them use their lights to shine your path forward. By your actions be a light to others. Shine forth from your eyes the light of God. Let your eyes be the light of the body! The eyes. Had you ever thought of them being a light of the body? Think about it next time you talk to someone and look into their eyes and see if they need your help to guide them back into the light. The true light of Jesus!
I will write my next blog at the first of next year. May you have peace and find the light amidst this time of year! Be a light! God has allowed this year to be a reality. Maybe He has been teaching us something. What have you learned from this year? This holiday season will be different for most of us, but find the joy and light in each moment. The light comes from our Savior. Let that light shine brightly for others to see. What do others see when they look into your eyes? May God bless and keep you safe!
Till next time! Keela
(My daughter took the picture at the top of this blog. It is when I got to the airport and I could finally hold my grandbabies for the first time in such a long time. Priceless!)