Open Your Eyes
Following Jesus means keeping your eyes open to the needs God has placed right in front of you.
The rich man in Luke 16 knew Lazarus by name. He saw him every single day, sitting at his gate, hungry and suffering. He did not ignore a stranger. He ignored someone he knew. That detail matters. It is easy to walk past a face we do not recognize. It is harder to justify walking past someone we know, someone whose name we know, whose situation we are fully aware of. And yet, that is exactly what the rich man did. And Scripture tells us the consequences were severe. We live in a world full of people we know who are hurting. A neighbor going through a divorce. A coworker who cannot make rent. A family member who has quietly given up hope. Their need is visible if we are willing to look. Following Jesus means keeping your eyes open. It means letting the needs of others interrupt your comfort. It means being the answer to someone else’s prayer, even when it costs you something. You do not have to solve every problem. But you are called to respond to the ones placed right in front of you. Look around today. Someone near you needs what you already have. Bible Verse "Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard." - Proverbs 21:13 (New King James Version (NKJV)) Reflection Question Who in your immediate circle is struggling right now, and what is one concrete thing you could do this week to show up for them? Quote Whoever shuts his eyes to the poor cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard. Prayer Lord, open my eyes to the needs around me that I have been too busy or too comfortable to notice. Give me a heart that is moved to action, not just moved with emotion.