Seeing the lost with the light of Christ

Jesus taught that our eyes reveal the condition of our hearts. When our eyes are healthy, we begin to truly see the lost and broken around us, and God can use us to bring them to Christ.

In Matthew 6:22-23, Jesus says, “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!”

The word for “good” in this passage can also mean focused or singular. The word for “bad” can mean divided. I was struck with a richer meaning of this teaching of Jesus as I considered our eyes and Christ’s call to be the light of the world. Many of us have divided eyes, which are focused on our own comfort, schedules, success, or even church activities, while the lost and broken remain in the shadows. Spiritual darkness in us leads to indifference or blindness toward the needs around us. We pass by people Jesus died for without truly seeing them.

It’s like walking at night with sunglasses on. You miss what’s right in front of you. The key question is: What is your eye focused on, comfort or compassion? Self or souls?

Before we can clearly see others, we must deal with the plank in our own eye. In Matthew 7:3-5, Jesus gives a humorous yet piercing picture: “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? … Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly …”

We often judge the broken from a distance, “They made bad choices”, instead of seeing them with humility and grace. Before helping others, we need humble self-examination and repentance. Only when our vision is clear can we see others accurately and help them.

The solution is healthy, single eyes full of light. A “single” eye means our focus is wholly on Jesus and His kingdom. When our eyes are full of His light, we suddenly see clearly:

• The single mom struggling as a person Jesus loves.

• The addicted man as someone captive who can be set free.

• The skeptical teenager as a future disciple.

Jesus said, “Blessed are your eyes for they see” (Matthew 13:16). Spiritual sight is a gift from God that stirs compassion and action.

When our vision is healed, the church moves from spectators to participants in the harvest. In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion because they were weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

I encourage all of us to pray: “Lord, remove the plank from my eye. Give me single, healthy eyes to see the lost as You see them.” Ask God to move in the hearts of our entire congregation so we see our community differently.

Practical steps include prayer walks, asking God to open our eyes to specific people and needs; acts of compassion paired with gospel conversations; and inviting the broken to church, not as projects, but as future family.

Imagine what could happen if our churches saw with single eyes: more salvations, transformed lives, and a community coming to Christ.  Go with eyes wide open. The harvest is plentiful; may the Lord of the harvest send us as His workers.

Chris Bassett is the senior pastor at Harvest Valley Worship Center. You can watch sermons, find gathering times, and small groups at hvwc.com.