SM #36: The Evil Eye
- BOO
- Jun 13
- 22 min read
Updated: Jun 23
The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore, if your eye has one focus, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon. ~ JESUS (Matthew 6:22-24)
CORE
(The heart of the message)
We all serve someone or something. It is in our nature to connect to and give ourselves over to something larger than ourselves. A philosophy. The State. Our tribe. Fitness. Food. Religion. Art. Achievement. They can all be "Mammon" - the god of success.
You're gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody. ~ Bob Dylan
"In no small measure, discipleship includes economics. Following Jesus will cause fundamental lifestyle changes." ~ Frederick Dale Bruner (The Christbook)
CONTEXT
(What’s going on before and after this passage)
As we saw in our last study, all of Matthew chapter 6 is held together by a single thread: receiving real reward and unearthing true treasure. The entire chapter is a manifesto against misdirected desire and a masterclass in intentional simplicity. .
We could map out this portion of Matthew 6 this way:
A. The Two Treasures (6:19-21)
B. The Two Eyes (6:22-23)
C. The Two Masters (6:24)
D. The Two Anxieties (6:25-34)
In this study we are looking at the two sayings of B and C (two eyes and two masters) together because they illuminate one another. And notice the progression. When we value earthly stuff more than people we head down a perilous path.
At first it presents itself as treasure (whoo-hoo!).
Then it clouds our vision (boo-hoo).
Next it becomes our master (nice coup).
And finally it fills our minds with anxiety (ah, doo-doo).
The saying about a good and evil eye is often a mystery to most modern Western readers since we do not have a concept of the "evil eye" in our cultures. But Jesus is here (and again in 20:15) tapping into a very ancient image. And in the process, he will offer us all the best ophthalmology insight we could ever get.
The sight theme continues after this passage. Jesus will tell his followers to "look" at the birds of the air and to "see" how the flowers of the field grow (Matthew 6:26, 28). Then he will teach us how to remove the plank from our eyes so we can see clearly to help our sisters and brothers with splinters in their eyes (Matthew 7:1-5).
We are entering an extended section of the Sermon on the Mount all tied together with the theme of aligning our vision with Jesus.
So what exactly is "the evil eye"? The idea of the evil eye is surprisingly cross-cultural and common among many ancient societies and is still believed in many cultures around the world today. The evil eye is the belief that staring at someone with too much envy or jealousy can actually radiate out a kind of curse. The curse beams out from the eyes and falls upon the unsuspecting recipient of someone's envy. Interestingly, it's not the jealous or envious person who is cursed, but their target.
The "evil eye" is weaponized envy.
For those of us who don't know this concept, it seems silly. But believing that you could be cursed if someone looked at you with intense envy or jealousy was socially helpful: it could be used as a kind of cultural corrective, keeping people from showing off their beauty or their riches so as not to draw too much attention. The evil eye encouraged modesty and simplicity in expression even if it used fear to do it.
So in Jesus' day, the "evil eye" was shorthand for perceiving the world through the tainted lense of greed, envy, or possessiveness. The Greek translation of the Old Testament used in Jesus' day (the Septuagint) mentions the "evil eye" in a few places (e.g., Deuteronomy 15:7-10; 28:54-56; Proverbs 23:6; 28:22) and Jesus uses the evocative image again in three spots:
Matthew 20:15 (“Is your eye evil because I am generous?”)
Mark 7:22 (where the evil eye is listed among sins)
Luke 11:34 (a near mirror of this teaching)
Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious (Lit. "is your eye evil") because I am generous? ~ JESUS (Matthew 20:15)
So what could someone do if they suspected they had been cursed by the evil eye? Various cultures had different remedies, including spitting to rid oneself of the negative energy. Some people believed (and still believe) that we can protect ourselves from the curse of the evil eye by wearing an eye amulet. (Think "I'm rubber, you're glue. Whatever you send my way bounces off of me and sticks to you!")
Interestingly, another way of dispelling the negative energy of an evil eye curse was to use salt. Bowls of salt were placed around homes or waved around the body to “soak up” negative energy, then discarded. Salt was believed to absorb spiritual toxicity, like a spiritual air purifier. Spiritual Febreze?
Now consider this: When Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), perhaps some disciples connected that with salt as a purifying influence. Salt seasons and also preserves, yes, but in this context, it also absorbs. Christians absorb the world's poison by returning blessing for curse, love for hate.
With the role of salt as absorbing rather than rebounding negative energy, we can appreciate New Testament teaching with more insight...
But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ~ JESUS (Luke 6:27-28)
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ~ The apostle Paul (Romans 12:14)
When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. ~ The apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 4:12-13)
You are the salt of the earth. ~ JESUS (Matthew 5:13)
In Matthew 6, Jesus plays with this common idea of the evil eye, but he flips the script. He does not promote the magical or superstitious worldview of envy or jealousy having the power to curse others, but he does promote a psychologically healthy view that living with envy and jealousy and greed for temporal things will darken our own soul. According to Jesus, the evil eye is self-cursing.
In Matthew 6, Jesus isn't encouraging fear-based modesty; he’s inviting clarity-based simplicity.
CONSIDER
(Observations about the passage)
The Eye is the lamp. Jesus uses the idea of eyes metaphorically, as that part of our soul that directs our attention. He is talking about our focus. Ancient people had two views of how eyes work... INTROMISSION (light goes in): the eyes permit light to enter into the body, like a window or lense (our current view). EXTRAMISSION (light goes out): eyes radiate out what is already inside a person, like bright or dim lamps sending out a seeing beam from inside the person (still used today as a more poetic understanding, expressed in the sentiment that eyes are the windows to the soul). In this view, our eyes are like headlights of a car, illuminating the way, because our soul is bright and shining out our eyes. We walk through life as influencers, bringing light into dark places. What a beautiful way of thinking about our eyes! Jesus seems to be playing with both views in this saying, but he emphasizes extramission. Bright eyes can illuminate human need and make a difference, and dark eyes will only increase selfishness and greed in the world. Being a light within and radiating light outward all begins with bright eyes, that is, a singular and simple focus of our attention.
"Rays shine through the eyes and touch whatever they see."
~ Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354 - 430 AD (The Trinity)
"Most people can fake a smile, but we cannot control how our pupils respond. The eyes are less likely to be hypocritical." ~ Amy-Jill Levine (Sermon on the Mount)
Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. ~ King Solomon (Proverbs 15:30)
You are the light of the world. ~ JESUS (Matthew 5:14)
One focus. This Greek word (haplous) literally means "without folds" or unfolded. It refers to a cloth that is not folded over or bunched up. Metaphorically, it means to be simple and uncomplicated, singular in vision and focus, without a double agenda (think WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get), with undivided attention. Jesus wants his followers to avoid the blurred vision that comes when trying to focus on two things at once. Variants of this word (haplotés/haplós) are used in the Bible to mean being generous (e.g., Romans 12:8; 2 Corinthians 8:2; 9:11, 13; James 1:5) which fits our context well. So, to have eyes that are "clear" or "healthy" or "unclouded" or "single focused" or "simple" means to live with a focus on the need around us and act generously to serve others. According to this view, God gives us vision so we can see what is wrong with the world and work to make it right. If we have FAITH in Jesus, we will have HOPE that God can bring good out of every bad, and we know that LOVE in action is the way forward. Dear Jesus, give us bright eyes!
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. ~ The apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Evil. This Greek word used here (ponéros) means outright evil. It is the same word used at the end of the Lord's Prayer when we ask God to deliver us from the "evil". As discussed above in more detail, the "evil eye" is a common idea in many Mediterranean and Middle East cultures. It suggests that someone might look at another person with such envy, jealousy, or disdain that they put a curse on them. This is no minor mischief - envy is spiritual rot. (See the Context section above for more.)
Darkness. This warning hits hard. When we focus on what we lack rather than how we can give, our entire being will be flooded with darkness. And it’s not just any darkness. This is the dangerous kind of darkness that masquerades as light. That’s what makes the evil eye so insidious. The light within us becomes darkness, a kind of spiritual counterfeit: joy that’s just dopamine, purpose that’s just purchasing, worth that’s just wealth. Jesus says we become what we behold, and if we keep staring at the wrong treasure, our vision will grow dim, and our hearts will grow cold.
"To ask the questions, 'What is your treasure?'; 'What is your vision?'; or 'What is your master?' is to ask the same question." ~ Charles Price (Matthew)
Two Masters. The simple/pure/single focused eye is now contrasted with the double-minded person who is trying to serve God and their own worldly success at the same time. If we love God and wholeheartedly serve him, we will "hate" how money pollutes everything. Notice Jesus' audacious move: he places money/wealth/"mammon" on par with God, as two opposing forces fiercely vying for our allegiance. Mammon wants to be our master. We all know money has power, but usually we think of it as a neutral tool to be used for good or bad (Jesus speaks of it this way in Luke 16). But in this passage, Money/Possessions/Wealth is not just a neutral power tool in our hands. Instead of a power we use, here money is a power that uses us. Wealth and worldly success exploits our evil eye to influence us. As the French philosopher and sociologist Jacques Ellul explains in his book Money and Power: "Power is never neutral. It is oriented; it also orients people. ... [Jesus] is speaking of a power which tries to be like God, which makes itself our master and which has specific goals." Money, and in our case our culture of consumer capitalism, is a force that wants to disciple us. In the words of author Rodney Clapp: "The consumer is tutored that people basically consist of unmet needs that can be appeased by commodified goods and experiences. Accordingly, the consumer should think first and foremost of himself or herself and meeting his or her needs" (The Devil Takes Visa, Christianity Today, 1996). The master "Mammon" wants to disciple us in an alternative vision than the one Jesus lays out in the Sermon on the Mount. Every day we must choose who we will serve.
Money as a power tool we use for good or evil...
I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. ~ JESUS (Luke 16:9)
Money as an independent autonomous influence over us...
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon. ~ JESUS (Matthew 6:22-24)
Love/Hate. In ancient times, the idea of hating someone or something did not necessarily mean emotional loathing. To "hate" often meant not choosing or not prioritizing as first in our lives (e.g., Genesis 29:30-33; Romans 9:13; compare Luke 14:26 with Matthew 10:37). Jesus does not say it is unspiritual to serve God and Greed. He says it is impossible. Like trying to walk in two directions at the same time. What a warning! When we are pursuing money, we are not serving God. It's never 50/50 or 80/20 - it's all or nothing. Just as Jesus says we need a "single" (unfolded, simple, one focus) eye, so every single heart needs a single devotion.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. ~ JESUS (Matthew 5:8)
"There is something about God and money that makes them tend to mastery. Either you are mastered by money and therefore ignore God or make him a bellhop for your business, or you are mastered by God and make money a servant of the kingdom. But if either tries to master you while you are mastered by the other you will hate and despise it. This is why Jesus said it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Much money makes a cruel master." ~ John Piper (Don't Be Anxious)
"Because love makes us follow the beloved and nothing else, we cannot love two things at the same time. Jesus firmly points out the necessity of choosing. ~ Jacques Ellul (Money and Power)
Mammon. This Aramaic word (mamónas) originally meant "where one puts their trust". Some scholars believe it is related to the word "Amen" which means "I believe it" or "I trust this" or "I agree with this" (in Aramaic, adding an "m" at the beginning can turn a verb into a noun). So mammon is the stuff I say amen to, the things that I trust to provide security and value in life. Eventually mammon came to mean any person's wealth or possessions. Mammon, then, is more than money - it's misplaced faith. So why not just translate it as "Wealth" or "Money"? Because Matthew doesn't. For some reason, Matthew chooses to keep Jesus' original Aramaic word in his text when almost everything else Jesus says is translated into Greek. So Matthew seems to believe the original word has special significance (like Abba in Mark 14:36). Jesus (and Matthew) is personifying and spiritualizing human greed, turning it into a god. This is a warning: Mammon is a spiritual force and we will become what we worship. (The apostle Paul calls greed "idolatry" in Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5). There is a reason why the first of the Ten Commandments is "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). It is the foundation for all that follows. Notice that Jesus does not warn his disciples that we will have to choose between God and Satan, or God and Sin, or God and ourselves. Our great temptation, says Jesus, will always be to mistakenly place our trust, our faith, our hope in worldly accumulation and security. This must be a bigger spiritual threat than we realize. Mammon isn’t just an economic force - it’s a discipleship program. And we have a choice to make.
"Without a doubt, most individual and church budgets need drastic realignment." ~ Craig Blomberg (Matthew)
"Jesus isn't saying that building up earthly wealth is wrong only if it captures your affection. He's saying that building it up is wrong precisely because it will capture your affection." ~ Robert H. Gundry (Commentary on the New Testament)
COMMENTARY
(Thoughts about meaning and application)
Jesus said he has come to proclaim "good news to the poor" (Luke 4:18). But to the prosperous, his news was not so good:
He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty. ~ Mary the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:53)
(Not exactly the best prosperity gospel verse to embroider on a throw pillow.)
"Jesus is very clear. Wealth is a problem. That capitalism is an economic system justified by the production of wealth is therefore not necessarily good news for Christians. ... Christians do not seek to be subversives; it just turns out that living according to the Sermon on the Mount cannot help but challenge the way things are." ~ Stanley Hauerwas (Matthew)
Jesus is not saying that making money and owning things is wrong. The early church met in homes and had money to give to the poor. In order to do both, you have to have money and property. If we give it ALL away, then we become the poor and a burden on society. That is not love, just shifting the burden. But if we hoard more than we can enjoy by using it to serve others, then we are keeping too much. There is a balance to be found.
Still, we should not use this talk of being "balanced" or being "wise" as an excuse to do nothing. Too many Christian Bible studies on money, wealth, and possessions have been neutralized by someone saying, "Yes, this may be true, but we also have to be balanced. After all, Jesus wants us to be wise." Undoubtedly true, but for many Christians, being "wise" and "balanced" tragically translates into doing nothing and ignoring the radical implications of this part of Jesus' teaching.
Perhaps the key to understanding Jesus' point is found in the word "serve" - we cannot serve God and Mammon. We cannot serve as our Lord the pursuit of worldly success and the pursuit of the way of Jesus at the same time. The one we prioritize will have radical implications for how we relate to the other.
"Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can."
~ John Wesley (Sermon: "The Use of Money", 1779)
"Greediness corrupts the entirety of a person's life with evil. Generosity, on the other hand, is essential to being truly and thoroughly righteous." ~ Charles Quarles (Sermon on the Mount)
Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. ~ King David (Psalm 119:36-37)
One of the challenges when discussing the topic of money, possessions, and greed is that most Christians do not realize how much this warning of Jesus applies to us. Because rich people always know someone richer, we rarely think of ourselves as the rich ones. Our eyes are dark, and our vision is dim.
Sometimes we will find ourselves playing mental games to excuse our pursuit of riches by telling ourselves, "If I have more money, I can be more generous!" Great idea, except, well, it isn't. As mentioned, because rich people always know someone richer, we always feel like we don't quite have enough. So radical generosity always seems like something for us to put off into the future. In this way, Mammon sabotages the radical Christian life that Jesus calls us to.
Jesus has been teaching radical generosity at every level of income. If we don't practice it when we're less wealthy, we have no assurance we will when we have more.
In Luke 16, where Luke covers this topic, he adds this comment from Jesus:
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? ~ JESUS (Luke 16:10-11)
We all know about stingy rich folks and generous, hospitable, give-you-the-shirt-off-their-back poor folks. For those of us who keep telling ourselves we just have to earn more money first so that then we can become generous, Jesus says you ain't foolin' nobody. God wants us to become generous, not by becoming rich first, but by having a change of heart now.
Perhaps this is why Jesus circles back to this topic again and again, using different metaphors and approaches, warnings and encouragements. Next to the subjects of God and his Kingdom, Jesus talks about money most - more than any other earthly issue. Can we see, really see, how important this is?
"Over the years as a pastor, I've had people come in to talk to me about sins, but I don't remember anybody coming to me to confess the sin of greed." ~ Timothy Keller (Treasure VS Money, sermon preached 1999)
If we want to follow Jesus, our relationship with money and possessions will have to change.
We were made to have a master. And we will always be seeking one out subconsciously, if we do not fully surrender ourselves to God. Even those of us who tell ourselves and the world around us that we are independent and free thinking people will find a master to submit to, whether that master is intellect, possessions, or other pleasures.
One of the best commentaries on what Jesus taught about money and possessions was written by the apostle Paul to young pastor Timothy. Once again, we see that Paul and the early Church leaders were clearly influenced by and infused with the way of Jesus laid out in the Sermon on the Mount.
Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. ... Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. ~ The apostle Paul (1 Timothy 6:6-19)
There is so much in this one paragraph of Paul's writing, but let's draw out one lesson.
Sometimes we can get stuck by the question "how much is too much?" Or "What does simplicity look like for my life?" I mean, is owning two cars overdoing it? Or would three cars be too much and I'm being modest owning just two? Is owning five pairs of shoes extravagant? Or would twenty pairs of shoes be too much and I'm just fine with my ten pairs?
Maybe Paul has given us a starting point here. He says God has given us good things "for our enjoyment". Hmmm. Perhaps we can begin by asking ourselves: "What do I own that I don't actually get around to enjoying on a regular basis?" Start there and get rid of it - clothing, kitchenware, toys (for kids and adults). Take a trip (or many trips) to the dump or donation place. Purge everything that you don't regularly benefit from or use to benefit others. And once you have simplified your surroundings - and decluttered your soul in the process - refuse to purchase anything that will likely not be regularly enjoyed.
Then make a habit of practicing contentment. Because godliness with contentment is great gain. (More about contentment in our next study.)
Jesus does not just tell his disciples to put God first, and allow everything else to come in second. God is not supposed to be first on a list of many things; he is supposed to be the only thing, the entire list. Jesus calls us to follow God as our Master, and therefore to despise, hate, reject all other sources of security, authority, and guidance.
Jesus-followers refuse to let the rat-race of materialism dictate their patterns and priorities. He frees us to live differently than the world around us. After all, we are citizens, soldiers, and ambassadors of a different kingdom that is not of this world.
CONFESSION
(Personal reflection)
I confess that sometimes I feel cursed. No, I don't feel cursed by the evil eye. Who is looking at my life with envy?
I just feel like the universe is swirling with malevolent energies that know where to find me. I feel like curses are real and I am a curse magnet. I feel like I've been cursed by, if not the evil eye, then by the evil everything. (Welcome to another episode of Cheery Thoughts with Bruxy.)
When I feel this way, one metaphor for the Gospel brings me comfort. The Bible talks about our own sin bringing down a curse on us (that's not the comfort part). Using that imagery, listen to what the apostle Paul says we should think about when we think about Jesus dying on the cross:
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. ~ The apostle Paul (Galatians 3:10-14)
Jesus takes away our curse!
Here the apostle Paul is laying out two clearly divergent pathways we all must choose between: Law VS Love, Flesh VS Faith, Religion VS Relationship, and Curse VS Freedom. Pick your system of salvation!
One way is trying to be good enough, that is law-abiding and religious rule-keeping enough, to remove the curse and receive God's blessing. And Paul says no one is perfect enough to do it!
The other way is to admit we can't do it and throw ourselves on the mercy of the Court. We ask for grace, and we trust/believe in God's kindness to forgive us and give us second chances and seventy-seven chances. We let Jesus, the only perfect one, take away the curse and all the religious worry and performance based anxiety that comes with it. And we move forward with confidence in our status as curse-free and fully forgiven children of God.
Again, these two options are:
The Way of LAW = live excellent lives, earn salvation, and (hopefully) dodge the curse.
The Way of LOVE = Admit defeat, receive the gift of grace, and live curse free.
Pick your path.
Both ways can result in good living, but the first can engender performance based anxiety and/or smug judgementalism, while the second should lead to humble gratitude as our base setting for life.
I have chosen the way of grace, not because I'm especially good at it, but because I am painfully aware of how much I need it. Thankfully I am surrounded by good and gracious people who regularly remind me of God's grace, mercy, and peace. Some of those people I meet in person with every week. Others I learn from through their writings. For instance...
In her insightful book about conflict and reconciliation, Betty Pries writes:
"Let us think about this for a moment: There is a place within us that does not carry any of our unique characteristics that we associate with our selfhood. Here we are not defined by the size of our income or the size of our body; we are not our social skills or our athletic ability. We are none of the awkward, thoughtless, or harmful things we have done in our lives; we are also none of our grand accomplishments, or our flights of glory. We simply are. We are breath. Or more accurately, we are carriers of divine breath coursing through us." ~ Betty Pries (The Space Between Us)
Pries goes on to differentiate between our "deeper" selves and our "descriptive" selves, the latter being that manifestation of us that people see and experience, how we and others might describe us. I think of the apostle Paul's words on the matter:
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ~ The apostle Paul (Galatians 3:28)
In our current cultural climate of categorization by our descriptive selves according to gender, generational, ethnic, economic, and power groupings, the Bible's reminder to see past all of this to value the human soul points to the healing we so desperately need.
God too has a descriptive self, mostly created, not by him but for him him by humankind as we try to figure God out. But the only descriptive self that God offers as worth knowing of God is the life and teaching and character of Christ.
Our descriptive selves are not wrong, just woefully incomplete, inadequate, and in our case, impermanent. So Pries recommends finding ways and times to feel the reality of our deeper selves while we let our descriptive selves take a back seat. Then, when we feel aligned with our deeper selves, just let God love us.
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. ~ The Sons of Korah (Psalm 42:7)
Sometimes I sit and imagine the real me, the deeper spirit, not defined by my history or circumstance or appearance or possessions. The true me who will live on for eternity. Pure spirit and image of God, beyond what anyone else in the world knows of me. Not my gender, status, stuff, or story. I imagine the me that is beyond my failure, a simple reflection of God and bearer of his image and likeness. And I remind myself that God loves this true, eternal, pure me and that everything else is shadow and dust.
And with that realization, I make it through another day.
(This song is so true of our descriptive selves, not our true, deeper selves.)
CONCLUSION
(One last thought)
Perhaps a good way to end this study is by giving ourselves space to take our own eye exam. Let's be brutally honest in asking ourselves two questions:
Question #1: In what ways are we most tempted to put our trust in things, in pursuing security through money and safety through stuff and joy through acquisition of things and experiences? Think/Talk about specific examples.
Question #2: What is one thing we can do right away to jolt ourselves out of this pattern of misplaced trust? What significant act of radical generosity do we sense the Holy Spirit prompting us to perform?
"A person's goals are in fact very often a person's gods. The OT's 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me' is brought closer to home by Jesus' 'Thou shalt have no other goals before me.' Ask a person's goals and you will find a person's gods." ~ Frederick Dale Bruner (The Christbook)
__________________
CONTEMPLATE
(Scripture passages that relate to and deepen our understanding of this topic)
Haggai 1:6; Matthew 19:16-26; Romans 6:16; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11; 1 Timothy 6:6-19; Philippians 4:11-13; Colossians 3:1-3; Hebrews 13:5
CONVERSATION
(Talk together, learn together, grow together)
What is God revealing to you about himself through this passage?
What is God showing you about yourself through this passage?
How is your use of money radically different from your non-Christian neighbour? (Hint: if it isn't, you may need to brighten your eyes.)
What is one thing you can think, believe, or do differently in light of what you are learning?
What questions are you still processing about this topic?
CALL TO ACTION
(Ideas for turning talk into walk)
Try to go one full day without using your phone or computer to "window shop". Pay attention to how it makes you feel.
Delete one thing from your Amazon wish list or shopping cart. Let it go.
Read John the Baptist's wisdom in Luke 3:11: "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same." Meditate on this for a few minutes and see what God brings to mind for you to do.
Schedule a “silent sit”... Take 10 minutes to imagine your true self, your deeper rather than your descriptive self, the Spirit-breathed “you”, beyond your temporary qualities and circumstances, and think about God really knowing you and fully loving you. This is not just an exercise in imagination, but about slowing down enough to become aware of reality.
Really love the plethora of conversations this raises, and the reminder that Jesus is King over all.
Time and how I choose to spend it, is what God is holding me accountable for now.