Beyond the Eyes
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If, then, the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
—Matthew 6:21–23
Madiah was intrigued by her two new American friends. That would be an understatement.
Was she curious about the transformation they described—the difference Jesus had made as they learned to walk with Him as Lord and Savior?
How could time with these foreigners—these “infidels”—feel so warm and welcoming? she may have wondered. What made them different?
One afternoon, Madiah joined Hna and Pyn, two members of our recent summer team from the University of Texas and Texas A&M, and me for tea. As I translated, the two young women shared their personal stories of God’s work in their lives. They explained how Jesus had drawn them to Himself and was transforming them as His disciples.
This was our second meeting with Madiah. By now, it seemed evident that the Holy Spirit was stirring within her a desire to discover more about a relationship with God through Christ.
Madiah asked to hear more.
Discovering the Light Through God’s Word
Using the Discover App, we read one of the “felt-needs on-ramp” stories used in Discovery Bible Study. These stories speak to needs or questions already present in a person’s life and invite participants to discover truth directly from God’s Word.
When someone expresses a desire to continue, we generally invite that person to gather family members or friends to explore a foundational Creation-to-Christ story set together.
With Madiah, a fully veiled SaSumBi woman, we sensed the Lord leading us to Matthew 6:21–23.
Together, we walked through the familiar Discovery Bible Study questions. Rather than explaining the passage to Madiah, we invited her to examine the Scripture, consider what it revealed about God and humanity, and discern how she should respond.
Jesus taught that the eye is the lamp of the body. What fills the heart eventually becomes visible through a person’s words, choices, and actions.
As another passage explains:
“It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.”
—Luke 6:45, The Message
Scripture also reveals the deeper human condition:
“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
—Jeremiah 17:9
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
—Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
—Romans 6:23
Our deepest need is not for better outward behavior. We need inward transformation—the light of Christ entering the darkness within us and making us new.
Recognizing a Person of Peace
As we meet people whom God may be drawing to Himself, we prayerfully look for patterns modeled by Jesus in Matthew 10 and Luke 10. These patterns can help us recognize a potential Person of Peace.
A Person of Peace often:
- Welcomes the messengers. This person receives us warmly, offers hospitality, or invites continued interaction.
- Opens an oikos. The person opens a household, family, friendship group, or relational network to the good news. Sometimes the disciple maker is invited directly into that network; at other times, the Person of Peace begins passing the message to others.
- Listens to the message. The person is willing to listen to God’s Word and engage with a new spiritual message. This does not necessarily mean that the person has already believed, but it demonstrates spiritual openness and interest.
Madiah was listening. She was asking questions. She wanted to discover more.
The Holy Spirit appeared to be drawing her.
What We Saw Beyond Her Eyes
We continued our conversation.
“Madiah,” I said, “as followers of Isa Al-Masih, we know that He possesses all power and authority over darkness. In the Bible, Isa Al-Masih declares that He is the Light of the world. In Him there is no darkness.
“Hna, Pyn, and I are followers of Isa Al-Masih. We know that He reveals the places where there is darkness and where His light is needed. God’s Word also teaches that every person has sinned and is separated from God, the one and only Holy One.”
Then I asked, “Would you like us to tell you what we see when we look into your eyes?”
“Yes,” she replied.
I ventured forward carefully.
“Madiah, I see in your eyes a woman who hungers for the light of Isa Al-Masih but feels hindered in pursuing it. You desire to discover more about who Isa is through the Word of God, yet something seems to be holding you back.
“I see a woman who covers herself with a veil but wonders whether God truly sees her. Is that accurate?”
“Yes,” she answered.
Behind the veil, beyond what our physical eyes could see, was a woman longing to know whether God saw her.
He did.
The God who searches every heart saw Madiah’s questions, her hunger, and the barriers she faced. The Father who draws people to Himself was already at work.
Our task was not to manufacture faith or force a response. Our task was to listen, love, share, and invite her to continue discovering truth through God’s Word.
Only God can illuminate a heart. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal Jesus. Only Christ, the Light of the world, can overcome the darkness within us.
Please Pray
Pray for Madiah and her household as our team follows up with another Discovery Bible Story. Ask the Father to continue drawing her to Himself and to give her time and opportunity to respond in repentance and faith.
John 6:44–45; 2 Peter 3:9
- Pray that reproducing local leaders will be strengthened as they develop other leaders. Ask God to help them remain tethered to His Word, live lives worthy of imitation, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Pray for dramatic answers to prayer that lead to spiritual breakthroughs among the SaSumBi.
May the Light of the world shine beyond Madiah’s eyes, penetrate her heart, and one day transform her household and community.
—R. A.
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