It's Time to Shut the Shades: Protecting Our Eyes and Hearts

In our home, we don’t have curtains—we have shades. Every morning, I walk through the house and open the shades, letting the light of day flood each room. And each evening, as the sun begins its gentle descent, I walk through the house again, closing the same shades I opened earlier. It’s a daily rhythm, a quiet moment of transition from light to darkness.

There’s a cartoon that comes to mind: a man in a Ford cap stands next to his young son. As a Chevrolet drives by, the father quickly covers his son’s eyes, shielding him from what he considers the "horror" of the rival car. I'm sure there are similar cartoons showing the reverse scenario—a Chevy man covering his son’s eyes from the sight of a Ford. While these cartoons are humorous and lighthearted, they also point to a deeper truth: we must be mindful of what we allow ourselves—and others—to see.

Matthew 6:22 says, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light." This verse reminds us that what we focus on with our eyes can deeply affect our inner being—our thoughts, emotions, and spiritual well-being.

There are many things in this world that are better left unseen. If we’re not careful, a passing glance can turn into a lingering gaze. That gaze can lead to fixation, and eventually, thoughts of lust, envy, or greed can creep into our hearts. Left unchecked, those thoughts may evolve into actions—actions that can be harmful, even sinful.

So let’s protect our eyes and, by extension, our hearts and minds. Let’s be intentional about what we allow into our view—what shows we watch, what we scroll past, what we dwell on. The small choices we make each day can have lasting consequences.

It’s time to shut the shades—not just to block out the setting sun, but to guard our eyes, minds, and hearts from the darkness that can so easily sneak in.