A few years ago, my husband and I moved to Orlando. Naturally, we visited Disney World often during those first few months, both on our own and whenever friends or family came to visit. We explored every inch of the Magic Kingdom and rode all our favorite rides over and over until we were, frankly, sick of them. As familiarity set in, the magic wore off. The heat and humidity were awful, and a day fighting the crowds at Disney just wasn’t worth suffering through that. After six or seven visits, we decided that visiting friends and family could explore the Magic Kingdom on their own. We’d feed them breakfast before they left, and welcome them back to our home at night.
The following year my (then) six-year-old niece came to visit. She’d never been to Florida or to Disney. She chattered excitedly about meeting Cinderella, and about all the rides her friends had told her about. I found myself wanting to be with her when she experienced those things, so off I went to Disney World. We walked through the front gates, and she was so excited she couldn’t stand still. She bounced on her toes, grinning ear to ear as she caught sight of the castle. Her eyes were round as donuts as we rode the Peter Pan ride. She was awed and breathless when she saw all those colorful, beautiful dolls in It’s a Small World. (She wasn’t too crazy about the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, though.) I watched her all day, and she was so enchanted with everything!
Midway through the day, I realized something. I was really enjoying myself. Disney had become so commonplace to me that I’d lost any enjoyment I’d once felt. But experiencing those things again through her, seeing the sights through her eyes, rekindled my enthusiasm. Though the weather was hot and humid, and the crowds were horrible, that was one of the best Disney days I’ve ever had.
I read a scripture the other day that reminded me of that magical day. In Hebrews we’re told to fix our eyes on Jesus. Sometimes I feel so weary of the world around me. I can easily become distracted by negative things – the heat and humidity and the crowds – and lose sight of anything good. I’m looking through that dark glass the apostle Paul talks about, and nothing looks shiny and exciting. But when I fix my eyes on Jesus, the magic returns! I see my surroundings through his eyes, and I’m energized by his enthusiasm. That doesn’t mean the heat suddenly cools or the crowds dwindle. But those things don’t matter as much. I experience joy because of his joy.
If you’ve found yourself weary lately, today you might try try fixing your eyes on Him. Maybe you’ll get a different perspective.
Biblical Fiction
Sweet Intrigue
