It takes two to do this experiment. Get in good light and move close so that you can carefully watch the eyes of your research partner. Then ask them look intently at a stationary object. If you’re a careful observer, you will see their eyes constantly jerking around in tiny movements. These tiny involuntary eye movements called microsaccades have been the focus of a great deal of research. Why can’t the eyes hold perfectly still, locked in on a fine target? What is the cause of microsaccades and for what purpose? One conclusion is that the fine movement gives slightly different areas of the retina the chance to detect, which provides for superior image processing by the brain. Another is that this type of movement allows us to spot a new object in the visual field quicker. Something new in the picture gets instant attention. Yet another conclusion is that if the eye didn’t move, what we look at would fade from view as the visual cells fatigue. By constantly moving the image, it uses different cells.
The injunction of Hebrews 12 is to look to Jesus, the “author and finisher” of our faith (verse 2, NKJV). How often I have looked to Jesus, then back at myself again, feeling confidently that “my faith is strong.” But if Jesus is both the author and finisher, then all the faith I have comes from Him. I need to keep my eyes on Him.
Listen to these sentiments. “I have a strong grip on Christ. My joy is in Christ. I want to serve God in marriage ministry. I think that the church should get involved in more inner-city work. I am going to bring three (or 30) people to Christ this year.” Notice that the focus is on self rather than on Christ. Remember that Satan’s efforts focus on getting us to look at ourselves rather than Christ. The Holy Spirit’s work is to pull my gaze off of self and lock it on Christ.
It is in looking to Jesus that I have hope (cf. Job 8:13). Jesus is the one that holds me in His grasp, in His strong arm that will not let me go (Ps. 18:35; 139:10). Nor is it my joy in Christ that saves me, I am not here to do my work but that of my Father. My prayers have no power except that it is Christ’s will. Oh, how often I look away from Jesus.
My Jesus, watch my eyes; remind me when I take them off of You and say to others around me, “Look at me! Look at what I have done.” Lord, let me not be wise in my own eyes.