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Our eyes reveal the condition of our hearts. When we measure ourselves against others, searching for someone “worse” to feel better about ourselves, we slip into what Jesus called an “evil eye.” This perspective is fueled by pride and fear, pride that elevates us above others and fear that, without comparison, we may not measure up.

In this conversation, Austin Gardner and Robert Canfield look at Jesus’ vivid illustration in Matthew 7:3-5 about removing a speck from someone else’s eye while ignoring the beam in our own. His exaggerated picture drives home a powerful truth: we are quick to judge others while remaining blind to our own need for grace. But the answer is not becoming sharper critics, it is turning our eyes toward Christ.

Christianity was never meant to be built on fear and performance. It is not mainly “anti-sin” but “pro-Savior.” When we fixate on the failures of others, we lose sight of the One who already bore our sins and declared us loved. True freedom comes when we stop comparing, stop competing, and start resting in Christ’s finished work.

As the hosts remind us, fear and insecurity often fuel our critical spirit, but perfect love casts out fear. Jesus Himself modeled this love as He prayed for His executioners, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” If He could extend such grace, how much more should we extend compassion to our brothers and sisters in Christ?

This episode calls us to set our eyes on things above, to run our own race without distraction, and to let love be the guiding principle in every relationship. If you are weary of judgment, comparison, or division, listen in and rediscover the healing power of love that restores our vision and unites us in Christ.

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What shapes the way you see the world around you? In this conversation, Austin Gardner and Robert Canfield unpack the profound truth that what fills your heart determines what you notice and how you interpret life. Just like buying a Tesla suddenly makes you see them everywhere, your spiritual focus shapes your perception of reality.

Many believers struggle with a distorted view of God. Instead of seeing Him as the generous and loving Father He reveals Himself to be, they see Him as harsh, demanding, and quick to punish. That lie began in Eden when Satan suggested that God withholds good things. It continues today, keeping countless Christians from resting in their Father’s kindness.

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells the story of a God who delights in His people. He created paradise in the beginning and promises its restoration at the end. Jesus came to give abundant life, yet so often Christianity gets twisted into striving, earning, and fear rather than joy and trust. Even Sabbath principles were meant as an invitation to lean on God’s provision, not a burden to carry.

When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, the promised seed who crushed the serpent’s head, we stop comparing ourselves to others and striving for validation. Instead, we rest in God’s declaration of our righteousness through Christ. As Psalm 35:27 says, “The Lord takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

If you are ready to see the world through new eyes, this episode will help you rediscover the generous heart of your Father who delights in your well-being. Share it with someone who needs encouragement to trust God’s goodness today.

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Jesus’ words about the eye being “the lamp of the body” in Matthew 6 have left many people puzzled. In this heartfelt conversation, Austin Gardner and Robert Canfield dive into one of Christ’s most often misunderstood teachings and show how it speaks directly to our spiritual priorities.

Jesus was not changing subjects when He spoke about eyes and light. He was deepening His call to treasure God above all else. The hosts explain how Jewish listeners would have understood the “evil eye” as greed, envy, and spiritual darkness. In contrast, the “single eye” pointed to generosity, simplicity, and undivided devotion to God.

Through Scripture and real-life stories, Gardner and Canfield show how our focus shapes who we are. Austin recalls a powerful encounter with a Chinese pastor who endured twenty years in prison camps. His warning still echoes: “Persecution strengthens faith. Prosperity weakens it.” His words challenge us to think honestly about how wealth and comfort affect our walk with Christ.

From Matthew 6 to Psalm 23, from Colossians 3 to the parable of the sower, the conversation paints a clear picture: whatever we fix our eyes on will shape our desires and ultimately our lives. As Robert puts it, “The master who promises worldly riches always leaves us empty. But Christ gives us Himself, and He is enough.”

This episode invites you to stop and ask: Where are your eyes fixed today? And what does that say about the condition of your heart?

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When Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd,” He gave those words a depth that has changed lives for centuries. In this episode, we explore the beauty behind that declaration and why it still matters today.

We’ll see how the original language shows that Jesus isn’t just “morally good,” but noble, beautiful, and interesting, the Shepherd who draws us not out of duty, but out of delight. Rome did not murder him, nor did religious leaders, nor even our sins. He laid His life down willingly.

We’ll connect David’s beloved words, “The Lord is my shepherd,” with Jesus’ claim, showing how God Himself fulfills the promise to lead, protect, and care for His people personally. Unlike hired hands who run when danger comes, Jesus stays. He knows His sheep by name, even numbering the hairs on your head. The Good Shepherd doesn’t leave when the night gets dark. He walks with you through it.

This episode brings hope if false shepherds abandoned you or if leaders who only loved you conditionally wounded you. The Good Shepherd doesn’t make you His because you’re good. He makes you His because He is good. When you were lost, broken, and weary, He found you and came for you.

Wherever you are, whatever weighs heavily on your heart, the Good Shepherd sees it, knows it, and carries you through it. He is enough. He is faithful. And He is with you.

Share this message with someone who feels forgotten or unloved. Let them know there is a Shepherd who never leaves, never abandons, and never stops loving.

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Have you ever wondered what matters most in life? In this episode, we walk through Mark 12:28-34 and discover the freeing truth behind the greatest commandment. Jesus doesn’t give us another burden to carry. He shows us what naturally happens when His love fills our hearts.

The law says, “You must.” The gospel says, “This is what happens when Christ lives in you.”

We’ll discuss forgiveness as the ultimate test of love and how it becomes possible, not by trying harder, but by trusting more deeply. You’ll hear how bitterness begins to break when we finally believe God loves us with the same love He has for His Son.

The real question isn’t “Am I loving enough?” but “Am I letting myself be loved?” When you know you are carried by mercy, held by grace, and loved without condition, love overflows to God and to every neighbor He puts in your path.

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How do you move from the pit of depression to the pinnacle of blessing? From self-pity to divine joy? In this message from Shady Grove Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia, I open Psalm 23 and walk through David’s remarkable journey. Hunted, hiding in a cave, overwhelmed by sorrow, yet he discovers that what is really pursuing him is not danger but God’s relentless goodness and mercy.

This message calls us out of performance-based religion and into the security of God’s love. We don’t chase Him down. He chases us. His goodness isn’t quietly trailing behind us; it is actively pursuing us. David could rest in this not because he was good, but because God is good. And today, through Christ, we experience an even greater reality: the Shepherd not only leads us and follows us, He lives within us.

When we grasp this, everything changes. Pity gives way to praise. Complaint gives way to gratitude. A rescued sheep doesn’t sing because it found the shepherd; it sings because the shepherd found it.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, today can be the day you say yes to His free gift. Simply pray, “Thank You for dying for me. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for being buried. Thank You for rising again.”

Come discover the joy of a life pursued by God’s relentless love.

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Have you ever been so wronged that your heart burned for revenge? That desire feels like justice, but it’s not the same thing at all.

In this podcast, we explore the life-giving truth behind God’s words, “Vengeance is Mine.” Far from limiting us, this promise frees us from the exhausting burden of trying to make things right on our own. Through honest stories of hurt, grace, and healing, we examine how vengeance binds us to the past while God’s justice brings genuine restoration.

Forgiveness doesn’t say the wrong was okay. It simply refuses to let it control your life any longer. We talk about how the cross changes everything, how Jesus has already paid for every wrong, even the ones committed against you. And the real battle is not with people, but with demons of Hell that seek to divide us.

You’ll hear why:

• Vengeance is personal, emotional, and destructive
• Justice belongs to God and is rooted in His perfect knowledge and goodness
• Forgiveness is not weakness. It’s freedom
• Loving our enemies reflects the very heart of Christ

Whether you’re nursing a fresh wound or carrying years of resentment, this episode offers practical wisdom and real hope for letting go of vengeance and walking in the freedom of forgiveness.

Share this with someone who’s struggling to forgive and watch what happens when mercy wins.

Chris Gardner, David Gardner, and Robert Canfield join me.

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What if following Jesus wasn’t about proving yourself, but simply learning from Him? In this heartfelt living room conversation with friends Chris, David, and Robert, we explore Jesus’ invitation to “come learn of me” and discover how it changes everything.

So many of us live under the exhausting pressure to earn God’s approval. But Jesus offers a radically different way—one where transformation flows from proximity, not performance. As David shares, “The longer we’re close to Jesus, the more we become like Him, meeker, more gentle, humble, accessible, kind, and loving.”

Chris reminds us that gentleness is not weakness, it’s strength under perfect control. That’s the kind of meekness Jesus models, and it radically shapes how we respond to the broken, the struggling, and even those who hurt us.

We unpack the truth that Jesus’ yoke is “not a weight, but a way.” When we walk with Him, He sets the pace, carries the load, and leads us into the life He designed—one marked by peace and joy, even in hardship.

If you’ve been worn out by religious performance or burdened by guilt, this conversation will breathe fresh hope into your walk with God. Discover how His grace changes the heart in ways rules never can.

In this episode:

 • Why gentleness is strength under control

 • How closeness to Jesus naturally shapes our character

 • The freedom of “come learn” versus “come earn”

 • How Jesus’ yoke sets our direction and carries our load

 • Why grace transforms where guilt only manipulates

 • Responding with meekness in threatening situations

 • Living with peace and joy no matter the circumstances

Join us as we discover together what it means to truly learn from the One who is meek and lowly in heart.

Chris Gardner, David Gardner, and Robert Canfield are discussing all this with me.

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What if rest wasn’t about doing less, but about being with the right Teacher? In Matthew 11, Jesus gives the only self-description of His heart in the whole Bible: “I am meek and lowly.” And in the same breath, He invites us to take His yoke and find rest for our souls.

In Jesus’ day, a rabbi’s “yoke” meant his interpretation of the law—a list of rules to follow. But Jesus offers something radically different. His yoke isn’t about religious performance but relationship. He doesn’t pile on more requirements. He invites you closer to Himself.

This conversation explores what it means to trade our exhausting cycle of self-striving for the rest that comes from walking with the One who is gentle and humble in heart. We’ll see how God has always revealed Himself as merciful and gracious—from His encounter with Moses on Sinai, to Jesus washing the feet of His disciples, even the one who would betray Him.
When you live near Jesus, you begin to resemble Him, not by trying harder, but simply by being with Him. Like a child who naturally picks up their parent’s mannerisms, proximity changes you.

If you’re tired of carrying the weight of religion, if harsh images of God have hurt you, or if you’ve been striving to earn what He already gives freely, this episode is an invitation. Discover the heart of Christ, and the freedom of being yoked to the One who is gentle and accessible.

I am joined by Chris Gardner, David Gardner, and Robert Canfield

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Already Home. Dwelling in the Presence of God

Finding our true home in God’s presence changes everything about how we see our lives and our faith. In this final message on Psalm 23, we reflect on David’s profound declaration, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,” and what it means for us today.

The Hebrew word for “dwell” means to sit down, abide, and remain permanently. This isn’t about occasional visits to God when life gets hard. It’s about living constantly in His presence. After battles, betrayals, victories, and failures, David learned that his security was never in his throne, army, or public approval. His only true home was God Himself.

The “house of the Lord” is more than a building. It’s a family and a belonging. David wasn’t just talking about heaven; he longed for daily communion with God, to share life with Him face-to-face. While everything in this world is fragile and temporary, God’s love remains steady and unshakable. Eternal life doesn’t start when we die. It’s already begun. God’s presence is not a prize for good behavior. It’s a gift secured by the blood of Christ.

Our confidence rests not in our grip on God, but in His relentless pursuit of us with goodness and mercy. As we conclude this journey through Psalm 23, may you be reminded that you are already home in God’s presence, and His love is chasing you down every day.

Thank you for listening to Followed by Mercy and for sharing it with your friends. The goal isn’t personal success, but that our Father would be known, loved, and admired for who He is and what He is doing.

Check out https://waustingardner.substack.com/p/whats-in-your-eyes-will-shape-what

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