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. (Eph. 1:18)
Mr. Potato Head never seems to be assembled correctly. Each tot pulls the personified tater out of his package and begins to reassemble Mr. Head in strange ways. Lips go on the top of the head. Moustaches go in eye sockets. Finally the appendages reappear as facial protrusions. It never fails.
Sometimes it seems as though God looks at us like a Mr. Potato Head. According to Ephesians 1, your heart has eyes: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (v. 18).
The heart needs this enlightenment. When your heart sees your friends and family, you too often see despair, not hope; your heart sees sin, not holiness. But when God’s puts His eyes in your heart socket, you see that you and they are “called” to hope; you have a holy “inheritance” in God (v. 18).
If only we would open the eyes of our heart to see, we would pursue this hopeful calling, and we would have this holy inheritance. This would restore painful relationships, so we might see people and know the glorious riches we have because of them.
See others with the eyes of your heart and never stop giving thanks for them.
David Drury is the author of Being Dad and coauthor of SoulShift and Ageless Faith (all Wesleyan Publishing House). He is also the chief of staff of The Wesleyan Church.