The Importance of Focus

My Sunday school class at Sawyer is studying the letters written to the Thessalonians each Sunday.  Since I wasn’t able to go to church this morning, I decided to spend my Bible time studying the first chapter.  I’m blessed to have a John Maxwell Leadership Bible and I read through some of his notes in the introduction area.  Highlights from John Maxwell:

***People can live a tough today if they believe a terrific tomorrow is coming!

***Leaders must tailor their approach to the needs of the people.

***The more a leader loves the people, the easier it is to lead the people.

Good Training According to Paul (from I Thessalonians 1)

1.         Training involves not only words, but also demonstration (v.5)

2.         Training transforms others when done with conviction (v.5)

3.         Training is remembered when the life of the trainer supports the message (v.5)

4.         Training is incarnated when the follower imitates the teacher (v.6)

5.         Training is relevant when done in the midst of problems (v.6)

6.         Training is complete when the trainee becomes the trainer (vv. 7,8)

7.         Training has been reproduced when the original trainer has no need to say more (v.8)

After I read Maxwell’s notes (there was much more...those were the ones that interested me) I dove into the first chapter.  It’s not a long chapter...but here’s how God’s Word spoke to me today.

My Notes

Wanting to become like Christ, so many words and phrases jump off the page as I read this first chapter of Thessalonians.  Like Paul, who modeled his life after Christ, I want others to see in me:

1.         a “work of faith”  (I want folks to see something only God can get credit for)

2.         a “labor of love”  (God is love and I want all that I do to demonstrate His love)

3.         “patience of hope”  (patience...so what I need in these difficult days)

4.         “election by God”   (I want to be chosen by God for the tasks I do)

5.         “power”  (His strong power...not my weakness)

6.         “assurance”  (I need to constantly stay assured of His promises)

7.         “received the Word” (I don’t want to argue with God or contradict Him)

8.         “in much affliction, with joy”  (Lord, let me find the joy in the darkness and confusion)

9.         “became examples”  (I want anything I do to be an example of what God does)

10.       “The Word of the Lord has sounded forth”  (I want to proclaim God and His Word)

11.       “faith toward God has gone out”  (Oh that others would see the faith that is real in my life)

12.       “turned to God”  (How do folks get through these kinds of times without turning to God)

13.       “serve the living and true God”  (There is only ONE living and true God...listen world!)

14.       “wait”  (ouch!  This is probably the one I get stuck on the most)

Listing them like that shows their collective value and strengths.  I don’t want to be a person that demonstrates one or two, a few or even some of the traits...I want to have the depth of character and integrity to demonstrate ALL of them.

Last night I was so weepy and whiny and focused so completely on me, me, me!  Becoming a leader has nothing to do with self.  I’m beginning to really get that.  Jesus’ focus was on His Father and His Father’s vision and mission.  That vision and mission was all about us.  God wasn’t focused on Himself – He was focused on our salvation – on relationship with us.  How incredible!  Man’s idea of God has been so skewed through the years and borders many times on the bizarre these days.  Truth is:  God IS love – He doesn’t care to be anything but WHAT HE IS!

Thank You, Lord, for being.  For being WHO You are!  For being true to Yourself.  For being Truth – absolute TRUTH.  Thank You for revealing Who You are in Your Word and SHOWING us, not just telling us, Your plans for us.  And thank You for drawing my focus back to You...help me to keep it there!