My six-year-old granddaughter created her Christmas wish list several weeks ago. She started it several times because she wasn’t sure how to spell the first thing she wanted. A trampoline.

Finally, believing she had done her best to let everyone know what she wanted most for Christmas, she handed the list to me. In large letters, she had written, A CHRAPALEN. She then asked if I would finish the list.

Christmas through the eyes of a six-year-old is always amazing and amusing.

But as we grow older, what we fix our eyes upon shows what we hold most important in our lives. God’s Word will help us to understand where our eyes should be fixed and how our eyes can lead us astray.

Jesus used the example of our eyes in His message on treasure in Matthew 6. These are the words He shared with the crowd. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness?” (Matthew 6:22-23 – NIV)

The illumination that comes through the eye, or our understanding, shows whether we live in the light or in darkness. Jesus was specifically speaking of wealth in this passage, but we can see the importance of our understanding in another passage.

Paul spoke of enlightenment in Ephesians 1:18-19a (NIV). “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

There are so many things that we need to learn. Paul lists just a few here. But these alone are worth the time and effort it takes to gain such enlightenment.

We are also warned that our eyes can draw us away from God. The Israelites were told in Numbers 15:39 (NIV) to beware of such temptations. “You will have these tassels to look at so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.”

As our eyes move away from God and His commands, we will fall. Our spiritually weak hearts and eyes will always take us into the realm of temptation and when we give into temptation we sin and when we sin, according to James 1:14-15, we die.

So where should our eyes be? On God! Read through some of these verses to see how our fellow followers of God relied on God to assist them.

“My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” (Psalm 25:15 – NIV)

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” (Psalm 119:18 – NIV)

“I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2 – NIV)

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18 – NIV)

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 – NIV)

Some wonderful news to tie this all together is that God is searching for us. I love 2 Chronicles 16:9. It gives me hope that when I need God the most, He will seek and find me. “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9a – NIV)

God’s desire is for us to gain understanding through our spiritual eyes, keep our eyes pure to keep us from sinning, fix our eyes upon Him at all times, and in return, He will search for us.

Watching a child entwined with Christmas wonder is such fun. But if we lose sight of what is important during this season or if we don’t teach our children and grandchildren the true meaning of Christmas, it really is just another day. All the wonder disappears.

Why not spend that extra time with the children in your life to share with them what you believe about Jesus? What He means to you? Why you are a Christ-follower? It will make Christmas so much better for you and for them.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna