Owls have three eyelids.

That’s not an exaggeration or a poetic flourish — it’s biology. One upper, one lower, and one that slides sideways across the eye like a windshield wiper. That third one, called the nictitating membrane, is nearly transparent. It protects the eye, keeps it clean, and does all this without interrupting the owl’s vision.

So even when it blinks — it doesn’t lose focus.

That might be the most impressive part of an already remarkable hunter. Owls don’t move their eyeballs like we do; their eyes are fixed forward, shaped like tubes. If they want to look in another direction, they move their entire head — sometimes as much as 270 degrees. But no matter where they’re looking, their gaze is intense. Locked in. Anchored.

And it makes you wonder… what if spiritual focus worked the same way?

Some think focus means a kind of perfection — zero distractions, no breaks, no blinks. But that’s not how real life works. Our eyes do blink. We work. We rest. We go through storms. Focus, then, has to be something deeper than just constant staring.

Spiritual focus isn’t about never blinking. It’s about building a rhythm — a way of life — that keeps our eyes fixed on the Kingdom even as we blink, breathe, and go about our day.

Peter walked on water. He actually did it — until he shifted his gaze to the storm. And in that moment, he began to sink (Matthew 14:30). It wasn’t the storm that made him sink. It was the shift in focus.

That can happen to us too. We set goals. We step forward. And then — life hits. Our routine takes over. We attend meetings. We go out in service. But deep down, are we still locked in? Are we still seeking the Kingdom first — or just fitting it in?

We’re reminded:

→ “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze straight in front of you.” — Proverbs 4:25

→ “We keep our eyes, not on the things seen, but on the things unseen.” — 2 Corinthians 4:18

→ “As we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus.” — Hebrews 12:2

→ “Keep on, then, seeking first the Kingdom and his righteousness.” — Matthew 6:33

Owls blink — but their focus never leaves the target.

Can we say the same?

References: Basic owl anatomy sources: Smithsonian National Zoo; McGill University (mcgill.ca)