What Has Your Attention?

What captures your attention shapes what you value and who you become.

Theme: Passion and Purpose
Verse: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." — Romans 12:2

I've been accused of having encyclopedic knowledge of sports history. Before the internet gave us instant answers to common trivia questions, I was my family's go-to source for things like who won the Super Bowl in 1980—the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Los Angeles Rams—or the last time the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Yankees in the World Series: 1964.

I have no idea what practical use such trivia has, but I do know where it comes from: a passion for sports.

When you are passionate about something, you want to learn all you can about it—and doing so doesn't feel like a chore.

Imagine a world where we applied that same passion to learning about the life and teachings of Jesus. If we knew—and, more importantly, applied—His teachings, we could turn our lives and our world upside down. We likely would be humbler, more compassionate, and more discerning.

Despite His divine authority, Jesus lived a humble, unmaterialistic life and remained submissive to the will of God the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He famously prayed, "Not as I will, but as You will." If we looked outward instead of inward, we could shift our focus from What can this world do for me? to What can I do for the world?

Jesus also modeled compassion by repeatedly making time to heal the sick, feed hungry crowds, and comfort people who were marginalized or hurting. The Gospels tell us that He was deeply moved by people who were "like sheep without a shepherd." While we may not all be able to heal the sick (a couple of doctors are reading this), we all CAN show compassion for others and their circumstances. At a minimum, we can be a listening ear. Often, all someone needs is to know that they are not alone and that they can make it through another day.

Jesus had a remarkable understanding of people. He used simple yet profound stories—parables such as the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan—to convey complex spiritual truths and challenge deeply held cultural assumptions.

Perhaps this is one of the most important things about Jesus for us to internalize: He understood people. He could see the world from another person's perspective. We can do the same, and doing so can go a long way toward helping us understand and connect with others.

But the point isn't really how much we know about Jesus. After all, we can know the stories, memorize the verses, and even answer the trivia questions—and still miss the point.

The real question is: What does our knowledge change about the way we live?

Our passions shape what we pay attention to. What we pay attention to shapes what we value. And what we value ultimately shapes who we become.

I'm certainly not suggesting we give up our passion for sports, running, music, or whatever else brings us joy. Those things are part of the richness of life. But perhaps we should ask ourselves whether we are giving the same curiosity, attention, and enthusiasm to understanding Jesus.

Because the goal isn't simply to know more about Jesus.

It's to know Him well enough that His way of living begins to influence ours.

Have a GREAT week!

Adapted from Lead with Faith, Play with Purpose by Andy Dooley