Focus

“Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:27

Yesterday’s story made me think about an interesting human trait that we all have, that is how we gravitate towards what we think about the most. I participated in a sales training seminar years ago, and I heard an illustration of this. Try it the next time you are riding your bicycle or even walking. If there is an obstruction in your path, focus on the obstruction, not the path. Be careful! In most cases unless you are using a lot of concentration to avoid the obstacle, you will go straight for it. It’s just the way we’re wired.

Paul lamented “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” Romans 7:19. It seems that we are surrounded by so much negativity and evil, it is hard not to focus on it, and therefor be drawn toward it. “He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it.” Proverbs 11:27. Whether in thought, word or deed we sometimes just can’t help ourselves if we allow ourselves to be drawn in to the evil that surrounds us in TV, movies, media, or conversations.

Job provided the best answer for me when he said, “…The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding." Job 28:28. And wisdom, he says, “cannot be found in the land of the living.” Job 28:13. Wisdom can only be found in the Spirit of God, which resides in his Word. So, I’ll just keep reading my Bible, not to be shackled by rules and guilt, but as Peter instructed, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” 1 Peter 2:16

Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.