What steps can we take to avoid the "great darkness" mentioned? Setting the Scene Jesus places the words “If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23) in the middle of His Sermon on the Mount. He has just called His listeners to secret generosity, sincere prayer, and single–minded devotion. In that flow, the “eye” becomes a picture of our inner focus. A sound, generous, God–fixed eye floods life with light; a diseased, self–centered eye plunges everything into “great darkness.” What the “Great Darkness” Looks Like • Spiritual blindness—unable to recognize truth even when it stands in front of us (2 Corinthians 4:4). • Moral confusion—calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). • Coldness toward God and people—“whoever hates his brother… walks in the darkness” (1 John 2:11). • Bondage to sin—“everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). • Fearful, joyless living—“the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble” (Proverbs 4:19). Practical Steps to Stay in the Light 1. Fix your gaze on Christ every day • “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). • Start the morning by reading a Gospel paragraph, thanking Him aloud for who He is. 2. Saturate your mind with Scripture • “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). • Read, memorize, or listen to the Word whenever you can—commutes, breaks, workouts. 3. Guard the gateways of sight and thought • “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes” (Psalm 101:3). • Apply Philippians 4:8 as a filter: if content does not line up with what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, or commendable, shut it off. 4. Cultivate a generous eye • In Hebrew idiom a “good eye” means generosity; a “bad eye” means stinginess (cf. Proverbs 22:9). • Plan regular, cheerful giving (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). Generosity keeps the heart clear of greed, which Jesus warns about in the surrounding verses (Matthew 6:19-24). 5. Maintain single-minded devotion • “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). • Ask: “Does this decision split my loyalty between the Lord and something else?” Choose the Lord every time. 6. Walk in continual confession and obedience • “If we walk in the light… the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). • Keep short accounts with God—confess known sin immediately and turn from it. 7. Put on the armor of light • “The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12). • Consciously resist temptation (James 4:7) and replace it with acts of obedience. 8. Surround yourself with light-bearing companions • “Let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Choose close friendships that push you toward Christ, not toward compromise. The Expected Outcome Living out these steps turns the “lamp” of the eye toward God’s glory. The result? “Your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22). Daily choices either usher in that light or invite the “great darkness.” Choose the light, and you will see clearly, live freely, and reflect the radiance of Christ to a world that desperately needs it. |
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