Monday Morning Manna: As Valuable as Apples

Have you ever wondered about the phrase, “the apple of his eye”? While it is used frequently to describe something or someone very precious or dear, such as a newborn baby to a parent, it actually is as old as Moses. While the refrain of a rather recent praise song by Jason Upton says: “Give me one reason to doubt He is Messiah, Give me one reason to doubt He is alive, Give me one reason to doubt I am the apple of His eye,” the original use of the phrase was from another song, a song of Moses. In the midst of describing God’s care for the people of Israel, Moses sang, “He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10). But what does it mean? The idiom “apple of one’s eye” actually refers to the pupil of the eye. In ancient times, the pupil was believed to be a round, solid object comparable to an apple. Since the pupil is essential to vision, it was held to be something very precious, such as apples. We even repeat an old English proverb, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” that basically means that eating nutritious food will make you healthier. As a result, you won’t need to go to the doctor very often. Thus, Israel was ever in the eye of the Lord, the object of his constant and tender-most care, and we, likewise are precious to God, cherished as valuable as apples.

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.