As much as I hate to admit it, I have a habit of losing focus. My mind often drifts, leaving me unaware of my surroundings.
One of my worst focus failures occurred at my son’s baseball game. My aunt had joined me for the game, and we’d both grown hungry, so we made a trip to the concession stand.
I was thinking about what to order when my aunt tripped and fell. I kept walking, not realizing she was no longer beside me, until I heard, “Jimmy! Are you just going to let me lay here, or are you going to pick me up?” I was so embarrassed!
The older I get, the more I realize how failing to focus can cause embarrassment in more serious ways, and in front of more than just our friends and family. One day, it can cause us to stand embarrassed before our Father in heaven.
Jesus made this clear in Acts 1, when He left the disciples to ascend into Heaven. We find His parting words in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Then, He rose to heaven in a cloud. Verse 10 says that after Jesus had disappeared, the disciples remained standing there, staring into the sky. In verse 11, angels spoke to them: “‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’”
It was time for the disciples’ focus to shift from their pain to their purpose. It was time for them not only to love Jesus as their Savior but also to long to please Him as their judge.
This is a shift we must all embrace. After responding to Jesus’ love, it’s time for us to lead lives that long to please Him.
Here’s every believer’s reality: God loves us no matter what. His love isn’t based on us; it’s placed on us. But loving Him well in return requires us to keep our focus fixed on our earthly purpose: to be His witnesses…to the ends of the earth.
So, in a world that makes distraction so easy, how do we keep our focus? First, we must keep a close watch on our heart, ensuring we are living with the right intentions. When good intentions motivate our actions, our soul has no regrets.
After ensuring our intentions are pure, we can move to our second step: making the right investment. When godly intentions develop into a solid investment, we become effective witnesses for Christ.
Friends, how’s your focus? Are you living aware of the people in your circle who need to know Jesus and experience His love? Together, let’s live in a way that will one day make us proud to stand before our Father in heaven!
