Day 4 of Illumination: Enlightenment comes to the one who looks up.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When I was a young girl I heard a short poem that caught my imagination:

“Two men looked out from prison bars; one saw mud, the other, stars.” (Dale Carnegie)

I don’t know how many times since I first heard this that it has come back to my mind. Hearing it, paints a portrait on the canvas of my mind: two men in cells next to one another, are looking out of their prison bars, each holding tightly with their hands the barrier that now defines their life. One of the men is looking down into the courtyard that has been transformed into a mud pool by a recent rain. The other, has his gaze fixed upward toward the black sky glittering with cosmic wonders. The mind of the man looking at the mud, sees that mud as representing the life that is in front of him. The man looking toward the stars is possibly imagining what it might be like to be soaring among that glorious congregation.

Now, in this poem we are presented with two individuals who are in the very same situation; yet, their situation is not defining the direction of their thinking. I guess this strikes me so strongly—even today—because I have seen it illustrated out many times in my life.

My observation is not limited to the fact that people in the same type of situation, often respond differently, depending on their focus. I have observed that people given very different circumstances, often respond in contradiction to what you would suppose. Again, because of their focus.

For example, I have seen people who had everything you might think a heart could desire, and yet, they were still miserable, full of bitterness, and having no peace. On the other hand, I have seen people who have had circumstances cast upon them that would have broken others, yet, they were neither bitter nor agitated, but rather, peaceful and hopeful.

Our opening scripture is one of my favorites. You see, what truly makes the difference in our lives, is whether our minds are set on things above, or set on the things associated with the world. Sadly, even if everything’s going well in your own life, there’s still enough tragedy and evil going on out there, such that, if that’s where you are looking, you’re going to be miserable.

When considering about how the focus of our thinking makes all the difference, my mind goes back to the scripture about what Jesus’ focus was as He endured suffering beyond what we can imagine.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:1-3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

If we truly want to live a life of enlightenment, if we truly want to deny the bars of this earthly existence control over our hearts and minds, we must set our eyes on the things that are eternal. If we choose to look at mud, the bars have already won.

We light a fourth candle of illumination today by knowing this:

Enlightenment comes to the one who looks up.

#25daysofillumination