Some things are true and some things are false regardless of our ability to see them or not. At the same time, in a world full of profound beauty and depravity, we will find what we’re looking for. This is not to deny reality, but to train the eyes of our heart to see and open to the fullness of life God has for us.
For example, a case can be made for why nearly every movie, politician, organization, leisure activity, or the like should be avoided. For those who are looking, they can readily find something wrong with just about everything.
And the bad they’re naming might be true and accurate. But is it the whole story? Or have we just trained our eyes to only see the negative? What would be different if we chose to look for the good as well?
To be sure, this is not to go to the opposite extreme and only see the good, as many can be just as naïve in this desire and miss the reality of evil. But, at the same time, we don’t have to go looking for it. We can simply fix our hearts on what is true, good, and beautiful.
For instance, we can freely enjoy our town square, theater, civic organization, or public figure at face value and for the goodness they do offer, even when we know we’d find some darker elements if we went looking.
We let the negative rob us of the goodness available when we feel we must look for it around every corner. A better approach is to look for and allow our souls to saturate in what is good. This is not to ignore the bad, but to not give it any more weight than necessary.
In the end, keep your eyes focused on the light more than the darkness, as you’ll find whatever you’re looking for.
Photo by William Krause on Unsplash
