Paying Attention

Hebrews 10:24-25

One of the first things to get my attention in the first grade at Cotaco Elementary was a little blond-haired girl named Tammy. She was six years old. She was missing her two front teeth...and she rode the same bus as me. I thought she was the prettiest thing I had ever seen. She got my attention. I got on the bus every morning hoping she had saved me a seat. She’s one of the reasons I started wearing my dad’s cologne - English Leather. But evidently that’s a common thing. When my daughter Alyssa was in preschool she had such an effect on one of the little boys that, according to his mother, he started taking baths without being made to.

I remember when Crystal got my attention - and by the way, she still does. I was working with her sister at a bank in Hartselle and Crystal came in to see her sister. And when she did, I saw her. She was fifteen. I was nineteen. I remember thinking, “wow.” We didn’t start dating till three years later – but I remember making sure I was around whenever she visited her sister. She had my attention.

Whatever gets your attention will direct your life. I don’t remember my mother ever having to make me get on the bus in the first grade. I wanted to because I knew my little toothless friend had a seat saved for me.

Whatever has your attention will drive you. It will push you. You’ll do whatever you have to for the thing or for the person that has your attention. Whether it is your job, your children, your family, your hobbies, your interests, your church, or your relationship with God.

It's important for me to think about what has my attention. In this brief blog let me mention just a few things in ministry that get my attention. It's important for my church to know such things because the attention of the pastor often becomes the attention of the church he pastors. I have a real and definite conviction about making sure that I preach the Bible as the sole authority for our life. The greatest question we can ask when we face a difficult circumstance is, “What does the Bible say?” So, needless to say – the Bible has my attention.

Also, the simple Gospel message is important to me. I have a real conviction that the Gospel should be clear in our messages whether it is a song or sermon. The Bible is clear that the “Gospel is God’s power that saves.” Something amazing happens when the Gospel is presented clearly and with convictions. So, again – the Gospel has my attention.

Also, reaching the unsaved and unconcerned is a priority of mine. I see no reason why every event connected to the church shouldn’t be an evangelistic event. Everything from a preschool egg hunt to a Christmas communion service to a breakfast just for men. If something is happening at church, it should be perfectly normal and expected that we present the Gospel in some way. So, also – evangelism has my attention.

But most of all, Jesus has my attention. I really believe Jesus changes people. I believe Jesus makes a real and lasting difference in people’s lives who trust Him to save and forgive them. His birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and second coming is the only message we have. Everything we do as a church is built on one message – one person. Jesus. Jesus has my attention.

All that being said, I don’t believe we have to be boring to be Biblical. I believe we have every reason to be the happiest and most content people in the world. I believe our worship should be filled with anticipation and joy. I believe God speaks through His word - and we should listen as if we are the only one He’s speaking to. I believe we should be passionate about what we do as believers and as Christian leaders. I believe if we’re going to do something we should do it well or don’t do it at all. And we should do it to the glory of God. So, those things have my attention. Those are the things that drive me as a preacher. And, chances are those are the things that are defining the church I pastor.

In my last blog I talked about the word Intention. I said good intentions without effort, hard work, some early mornings and late nights are nothing more than good ideas. Many of us spend our life intending to do more for God. But too few of us ever do.

This week we are thinking about Attention. Whatever has our attention will guide us, shape us, and to some extent control us. That being said, what is guiding me, shaping me, and controlling me? Wouldn’t it be great if we gave the Word of God such attention? MM