YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE EYES

My observation is anecdotal and, perhaps, not scientifically verifiable, yet I am convinced it is true. The view from the pulpit is quite different than the view from the pew. As pastor, I observe people's faces week after week. Whether leading worship, preaching, teaching, or just being on the platform, I see faces. One thing I have sadly noticed is when the light goes out of person's eyes. I have observed it most noticeably with the young and, in particular, with young men. Perhaps, it will seem like a rushed judgment to causality--I know that grief, sickness, depression can, as well, cause the light to go out of the eyes, but I can all most always tell, for example, when a young man has begun habitually to view pornography, has been zoning out hours on end in video gaming-gaming with violent, sexual, and occult imagery, or has been watching movies, series, etc., full of dark characters-zombies, vampires, warlocks and witches, and sexuality. I can tell it because the light goes out of that young man's eyes. The contrast is so evident. When one has seen the young man's eyes radiantly bright with youth, innocence, the Spirit of God at work in them in worship, and, then in a later service at a later date, one sees that same young man's eyes dull, glazed over, hollow, one is seeing the effect of partaking of darkness. Darkness can never brighten. Light can dispel darkness, but darkness cannot bring light.   "But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Mat 6:23). The eyes are the windows of the soul. If the soul is dark, the eyes will be dark. If the soul is full of light, the eyes will shine with it. There is another wonderful reality. Not only have I seen the light go out of a person's eyes, I have seen it come into a person's eyes. I have seen a sinner hardened by sin, having no countenance, his face shadowed in darkness, his eyes dark, lifeless. I have observed that one pour out his heart to God in repentance and then in faith believe in Jesus as Savior. When that person arises from a born-again experience, there is vivacious light in his eyes because the Light has shined into his soul chasing away all darkness. Darkness or light, you can see it in the eyes.