Attention and the Power to Choose

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By Dr. Kent Smith

Watch this video (“Attention – Our most Precious Asset”) and then read the article below.

Our attention is our most precious human asset. So the most significant decision we make day by day is how we will spend our attention.

What we give our attention to greatly shapes what we see, what we hear, what we experience, and ultimately who we are becoming. This is why Jesus says to “be very careful how you listen.” (Luke 8:18) In this comment Jesus points to the intimate relationship between our hearts—the center of our wanting and choosing—on the one hand, and on the other hand, our attention—where we are focusing our desire.

Like a flashlight in a dark attic, we get to focus our attention on what we want to see. We are always surrounded by many things that are more or less in the dark to us. But when we focus our attention there, they come into our awareness.

At its Latin root the word attention means “to reach toward.” This choice—what to reach toward, where to give our attention—is the most important decision humans can make. Not surprisingly, our precious attention is the first thing the Lord Jesus calls for—and the first thing the world, the flesh and the devil demand to keep for themselves.

Thankfully, in this battle for our most precious asset, as followers of Jesus we are not left alone. We have been given the Holy Spirit who empowers us to pay our attention to what matters most—the good, the beautiful, the transforming Life of God at work among us.

So over and over, the early Christian writers challenge us to pay attention to the Spirit: “Be led by the Spirit, keep in step with the Spirit, live by the Spirit.” We have been given the Power to choose where we will spend our most precious asset!

 

 

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