Like many others, I grew up thinking Obi-Wan Kenobi was pretty cool. He was one of the good guys on Star Wars. In a recent spin-off series, he said: “Only when the eyes are closed can you truly see.”*
If you think that sounds decidedly biblical, you’re right. It’s very reminiscent of what the apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7: “we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Our eyes are important. But each of us is at risk of over-relying on them.
Just because someone looks nice, that doesn’t mean they are nice. Just because someone’s social media feed appears to tell us that they “have it all together,” that doesn’t mean they do.
Further, just because someone seems to be a wreck, that doesn’t mean they don’t have anything valuable to say. And just because someone has made more mistakes that they can count, that doesn’t mean they are outside of the grace of Christ.
You get the point.
Here are a few implications of what it means to walk by faith, instead of just by sight…
It means that reality is determined by what it says in God’s Word, even when it seems to go against our instincts.
It means that loving others has actual power, even when lashing out at someone might feel better.
It means choosing Jesus even when others dislike you for it, and trusting that God will use your faithfulness for a future you can’t yet see.
Do you over-rely on what you see when you make decisions and set priorities? If so, you may need the reminder that you actually live in a world that is bigger than you think.
“Only when they eyes are closed can you truly see.”
Notes:
–The Up Daily Devotional has a new promo video! If you are thinking of sharing this devotional with a friend or family member, this 1-minute video will tell them what it’s all about. Click here.
-Obi-Wan Kenobi, season 1, episode 3. Released on June 1, 2022 on Disney+.
-Bible quotes, ESV.
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