Fixing Your Eyes

This discussion is not about Lasik eye surgery or our physical vision. The idea is to look at our spiritual vision. The inner mental vision that focuses in on what is the most important in your life journey this New Year you find yourself traversing. It considers what values are important and what goals you are aiming for and keeping your eyes on. What is the foundation of your values? A song by For King & Country relates well with what I am thinking about this week.
So as always first take a listen to the song by clicking on the song title and reflect over the lyrics I have listed here:

Fix My Eyes by For KING & COUNTRY –

Hit rewind, Click delete, Stand face to face with the younger me.
All of the mistakes All of the heartbreaks. Here's what I'd do differently.
I'd Love like I'm not scared, Give when it's not fair, Live life for another,
Take time for a brother, Fight for the weak ones, Speak out for freedom Find faith in the battle, Stand tall but above it all Fix my eyes on You On You

I learned the lines and talked the talk 'cuz the road less traveled was hard to walk It takes a soldier who knows his orders
To walk the walk I'm supposed to walk
Love like I'm not scared Give when it's not fair
Live life for another Take time for a brother
Fight for the weak ones Speak out for freedom
Find faith in the battle Stand tall but above it all
Fix my eyes on You On You

The things of Earth are dimming In the light of Your glory and grace
I'll set my sights upon Heaven I'm fixing my eyes on you
Love like I'm not scared Give when it's not fair
Live life for another Take time for a brother
Fight for the weak ones Speak out for freedom
Find faith in the battle Stand tall but above it all
Fix my eyes on You On You Fix my eyes On you

The beginning of the song looks backwards at mistakes in life. We can hit rewind in our minds as we look at the past but in reality we cannot go back and redo the past mistakes. We can do things differently in our present choices and grow by moving ahead with better values. The song presents positive values of living out acts of love, caring for others and standing tall which I believe relates well with ethical living.

Is living out our values easy to do? The song writers are honest in how living rightly is difficult. The phrase “'cuz the road less traveled was hard to walk. It takes a soldier who knows his orders” reminds me of the M. Scott Peck book, The Road Less Traveled, that begins with the statement, “Life is Difficult”. Living the best life of positive values is often difficult as the negativity of the world says to take the easy selfish approach.

This song is written by Christian writers and they show the key to getting over the difficulty is by fixing their eyes on Christ. By keeping a focus on Christ’s example and His love and grace those of us who believe in the Christian worldview, can move beyond the past mistakes and move forward in loving our neighbors and stand tall above the difficulties of life. Not that the difficulties disappear but we have extra strength spiritually in the battle with the difficulties.

Fixing the eyes, which is the most repetitive concept in the song is the reminder of the importance of focusing our minds. To conquer and win in sports for example there is a need for a focus on the goal of winning. So if you have come across this post and you are not a Christian I would first say take a serious look at not the myths of Christianity, but seriously take a look at who Christ says he is by reading on of the books Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

Of course I feel the thought of “fixing your eyes” can relate to any belief system. Think through what or who are you fixing your eyes on. As this New Year starts to move on one way to live it for the best experiences is to examine your values that are important to you.

Reflection: What is the basis of your personal value system? What does it mean to you to “Fix Your Eyes”? How do you overcome the difficulties of living the best life? How do your values relate to the goals you have for the New Year?