“Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose.”
Those words may not mean anything to you, sound like a good motivational poster, or ring like a bell, harkening your love of fall, great TV, and the Dillon Panthers (not to mention the one and only Coach Eric Taylor). It became the slogan for the fictional Friday Night Lights football team, and one that, if we’re honest, many others have taken on themselves, either in cheesy or not-so-cheesy ways.
Regardless what you may think of the phrase, it’s kind of catchy, and not just because it can trigger glory days memories – what does it mean for us to truly have “clear eyes?” What is it for us to possess a full heart? Do we believe that we can’t be beaten, in this life? Where is our final confidence?
In other words, I’m about to Jesus-juke the heck out of Eric Taylor’s mantra.
I’ll start, this week, in just thinking through what it means to have clear eyes. Indeed, I’ve actually been stewing over this phrase since first hearing it on FNL, even going so far as to shout it when its been a long day and Carrie and I are just trying to make it through dinner, bath time, reading time, until we have a chance to regroup, together. But, for me, clear eyes is a two-part desire – 1. to have clear eyes to see the world around me for what it really is (and not be clouded or blinded by my own sinful desires and wants) and 2.to see people (and meet people) where they’re at, with who God has designed them to be.
Clear eyes means taking a step back in moments of annoyance and reminding oneself (or being reminded by someone else) of who the people are around us; foregoing our negativeness towards the other and choosing to serve out of love.
Clear eyes means looking at all the events going on around us, in the world, and choosing to see things through an eternal lens – not cowing to the fear-mongers out there, nor burying our collective heads in the sand, thinking everything is okay or that we should just sit back in isolation and watch the world of “others,” as though we have no part in it (and, for some of us, we don’t have a part in it and, therefore, we don’t truly love our neighbors around us).
Clear eyes means looking those things that cause us fear and anxiety right in the face and clinging to the hope of our God – that he knows the struggles we’re going through, he hears our pleas for help and that, regardless what may happen, we trust in the one who has conquered all (and can give us the mindset that we can kick Monday’s teeth in, not to mention completely tear down the gates of Hell).
Clear eyes means being sober-minded, sober-sighted about the eternal kingdom life that is going on, and not being content for things of this world, yet holding each moment in our hands like drops of precious water, given for the glory of God.
Clear eyes means living the life we are intended to live, on mission for Christ Jesus, in every aspect of these years he has given us.