Out of Focus

Several weeks ago, our Upward Sports Flag Football and Cheer Ministry participated in our local high school's Homecoming parade.

This has become an annual tradition for our ministry allowing us to promote our ministry to hundreds of people at once.

Our players and cheerleaders wear their uniforms. We carry our Upward banners. We decorate floats. And like most parade participants, we throw candy.

Except this year, we did not have a great plan for the “throwing candy” part.

Some of our people had candy and others did not. And the ones who did, did not have enough. The parade route was also flipped and our participants did not realize where the parade officially began.

Seeing some people in the pre-start path, and following the lead of the floats ahead of us, our people threw much of their candy out before we reached the official starting point.

However, our boys were creative enough to pick up the candy laying in the street and re-throw it – when they weren't eating it themselves.

Reflecting on this event, I wondered how often we miss the main part of the parade because we get side tracked.

In other words, how often do we miss the big event because we are focused on something else?

In Matthew 6:4, Jesus says, “A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah...”

This exchange between Jesus and a group of Pharisees and Sadducees followed many wonderful signs, teachings, and miracles by Jesus. While they were trying to trick Him, He did acknowledge one more sign: the sign of Jonah.

Jesus was telling them of His coming resurrection which would be the ultimate sign. Their problem was they were so focused on tricking Him and preserving their power – they missed Him.

Now before we pick on the Jewish religious leaders too much, you and I are not much different.

Think about it. We are so exhausted walking into church that we fall asleep during the sermon.

Our schedules are so full, we don't have time to “squeeze in” church or that Monday night Bible Study or that morning devotional. We have to get our children to their third practice of the night only to be followed by hours of homework.

Pastors and church leaders are not much different. Pastors can spend more time working on AC units and toilets than they do preparing their sermon. They are glued to their phone responding to every call and text message as if it couldn't wait 30 minutes so they could pray.

This week, I encourage you to slow down, breathe, focus (or maybe refocus), and be ready for Jesus to show up in your life, your homes, your work, your churches, your neighborhoods, and the world.

Anyway, I was just thinking...