When Thine Eye is single

The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness, Luke 11:34.

The word "single" is only in your King James Bible twice. It is in our opening verse and then again in a like verse, Matthew 6:22; The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. What is striking about each use of the word is that the opposite of having an eye that is single is an evil, dark eye. What follows Matthew 6:22 is 6:23; 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!

To have an eye which is single is to have a body full of light. To have an eye which is evil is to be filled with darkness. How then did single become the opposite of evil? The word "single" is not the opposite of the word "evil". What are opposites are the condition of a person with an eye which is single and the condition of a person whose eye is evil. How?

I have learned that certain people come into a church with their eyes programmed to look for evil or hypocrisy. Naturally, they find it. A person whose eye is single sees what is set before his eyes. He is able to judge what he sees without having preset expectations. His body is full of light because he is seeing the truth.

The art of being a magician is to trick people into seeing things as the magician wants them to be seen. He has practiced subtle tricks to keep your eye focused on what he wants you to be focused on. When a magician talks to his audience he is keeping their eyes from being single. They are not really seeing what their optical nerve is sending to their brain. They are seeing as they are programmed to see.

Likewise, the person with the evil eye. They have at least two influences wrestling against what their optical nerve is sending to their eye. They have the actual sight that is before them, but their inclination is to think evil of people. Their bitterness, and their envy will color what they see.

When a pretty young lady sings a special in church, that is what most people see. There is always someone who sees a spoiled pampered brat getting all of the attention. Their mind is flooded with every flaw in the young lady's character, every mistake they have seen the young lady's parents make, and they seethe inwardly. Their body is full of darkness.

It is a miserable existence. I have suffered from it, and anyone I have known who has suffered from it feels a sense of superiority. In bitterness they feel contempt for everyone who doesn't see what to them is obvious. Their own heart is acting as the magician.

Instead of seeing a young lady who may or may not be of good character singing which is what the optical nerve is showing, they have a split screen showing them the young lady singing, but they also see what their wicked heart wants them to see. They see every flaw, both real and perceived that the young lady has.

Keep your eye single. See what is obviously before you. Examine it and judge it for what it is. You may know hidden truths about a person or event in front of your eyes, but first make sure you are seeing what is actually there. Then, and only then, with your body full of light, make your judgments if they need to be made. If your judgments make you feel bitter, envious, or superior, you need an eye that is single.