When I read the passage of Luke 11:33-36, I think of the scene in FireProof when Kirk Cameron rips his computer from the socket, beats it with a bat and throws it in the dumpster which causes his shocked neighbor standing outside to absently water his concrete instead of the flowerbed. This scene reflects Kirk Cameron’s character’s struggle with sin and his desire to sever the sin and repair the broken relationship he has with his wife.
“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.” (Luke 11:33-36 NIV)
This passage talks about a lamp being put on a stand so that people who come into that space can see the light. And relatedly, if your body is full of light, it will be like a lamp shining its full strength on you.
What would this section of the Luke passage look like for you? In my life, it would mean the graduate students, staff, directors, undergraduate students, ministry partners, young woman I am discipling, my sisters, people in traffic, co-leaders, friends and ladies in my church that I rub shoulders with would interact with this young woman: a humble, kind, selfless, patient, warm, truly loving, gracious, impassioned lover of God, sacrificial and peace-making woman. I write this with misty eyes of conviction because I am not that young woman. That is the woman I want to be and with the Lord’s grace will be — “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6. Any light that people see in me is the image of my Lord, Christ.
“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.” Luke 11:34-35
What does it mean for my eyes to be unhealthy and subsequently my body being full of darkness? And vice versa when my eyes are healthy, my whole body is full of light? I believe it means in my life what I view with my eyes, including what I watch on TV and what I read, can affect my spiritual health.
What light am I radiating to my Lord?
Is the light within me dark? I rate the light within my body a medium strength at best. More dark than I want. I don’t want the light in my body to have any darkness at all!
What darkness am I allowing in me when I watch a movie or show with risqué scenes or reading a book that has passages that border on inappropriateness?
Questions that are good to think through when watching or reading something with my eyes are:
Does what I am viewing with my eyes honor the Lord? If another believer is present with me, would I feel uncomfortable with what I am watching or reading? Does what I am viewing with my eyes tempt me to sin? Does what I am viewing with my eyes edify me spiritually? If a non-believing friend watched this movie (or other relative outlet) with me, would they walk away from the experience closer or further away from knowing what a follower of Christ looks like?
Some other passages come to mind that give warning of evil and reminders of our identity in Christ:
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3: 7-8)
“You are all sons/daughters of light and sons/daughters of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
“Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. 9 Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.”(Micah 7:8-9)
Be encouraged friends!
Lord, I want to bring honor to you in how I live my life, particularly what I see with my eyes. I want to be a lamp that draws people into the knowledge of you. I know what I should not be allowing my eyes to see. Lord, show me the strength and power that you have already given me to shun evil and keep the light within me pure! –Help us to lay ourselves down and follow steadfastly and joyfully after you! Amen.