Theme of the Week: Godly Men Have A Vision for Life
Bible Verse: And they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” Mark 1:37-38 ESV
Scripture Reading: Luke 5:12-16, Mark 1:35-39
We have to focus. Did you catch that while you were multitasking? I said, “Focus.” You might need to rewind and read that first line again if you were skimming while listening to a podcast, texting in your Chipotle order, and checking your fantasy football team. It’s easier to multitask, half paying attention, than to home in on one thing at a time that will produce results.
Focus is hard. We are bombarded by the “attention economy,” which is just some consultant’s way of saying the world is screaming for our mind space and our wallets 24/7.
A man with a vision knows the secret ingredient is focus. Focus is the bedrock of vision. Without it, vision is just a good idea. But here’s the truth: ideas are only about 5 percent of the formula.
The point is, distracted and fragmented lives rarely make a difference. Do you want to be a man of vision? You will need to focus. And to do that, you’ll need to make some hard choices. But focus can also make things more sustainable.
Jesus was completely focused, which resulted in many people being disappointed. Why would Jesus need to focus? He could do whatever he wanted, right? Heal the blind, multiply loaves and fish, bench-press a camel. (Okay, there’s no record of that last one, but I wouldn’t bet against it.) What’s amazing is that when we read the record of his life and work in the Bible, we see a guy who had intense focus. He unapologetically said no to things that didn’t fit his vision.
Luke told of crowds gathering and pressing near to Jesus with needs, but “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Focus. Mark recorded an early morning when the disciples went looking for Jesus, who was by himself praying. They said, “Everyone is looking for you!” (Mark 1:37). Jesus basically responded, “Let’s go somewhere else; I’ve got other things to do.” Focus.
If we want to be men with vision, we must be men with focus. Our ADD culture doesn’t want this or understand it. “Normal” people would rather we remain distracted boys. It’s easier for them to criticize than to change. We don’t want that; we want to be different.
Focus.
Taken from The Five Marks of a Man: Finding Your Path to Courageous Manhood by Brian Tome. Copyright ©2018 by Brian Tome. Used by permission of Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, MI. bakerpublishinggroup.com.
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