Worse Than Worthless – Psalms 119:37

Turn my eyes
from looking at what is worthless;
give me life in Your ways.

In a culture like ours where we are always setting some electronic image before our eyes, the Psalmist’s request is relevant and poignant. Isn’t it safe to say that most of what we are feasting our eyes upon, on whatever size glowing screen, is at least in relation to Truth, worthless? Don’t we daily fix our eyes on empty, short-lived pleasure-producing images? Many don’t even take the time to engage the cognitive process by reading on the glowing screen. There is no need. The image is alive and active and sharp. It does all of the work as our mind congeals through inactivity. Gazing consistently upon the worthless invites worthlessness into our hearts.

In some way, and probably more profoundly than we realize, what we gaze upon consistently is what we are becoming. Ouch! Am I becoming a baseball, a football or a news report? That’s what I look at consistently. Truly, in light of God’s ways, it is worse than worthless.

The Psalmist knows the truth of what truly brings life. It is not the glowing image. It is the Image of God manifest in Jesus Christ revealed through His Holy Word.

Lord, turn our eyes away from the worthless electronic images of our day onto the blessed face of Jesus Christ. Make His ways our ways. Life is found there alone.