7 Habits of Highly Effedctive Christians #3
HABIT 3: Focus
VERSE: “… Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
Cock-a-doodle-doo! A rooster crowed signaling the start of another day. Farmer Brown had been up for an hour getting ready to tackle the many tasks he needed to accomplish before sunset.
He set out for the chicken coop where a fresh supply of eggs was ready for collection. He opened the door and then remembered that the radiator belt on the tractor was broken.
As he hunted around for a new belt, he heard the gentle mooing of the cows ready to be milked. He let out a soft sigh knowing that the tractor repair would have to wait.
Just then his wife opened the front door and called out in a strong voice, “Breakfast is ready. Come and get it!” He turned and walked toward the farmhouse muttering, “What I need is a 35-hour day!”
This story hits home as we are constantly pulled in ten different directions at the same time. The way to avoid living a scattered life comes down to one word: FOCUS! Focus on what is important instead of what is urgent.
Bible: Today’s verse is Jesus’ mission statement. It is a one-sentence summary of His purpose on earth with two parts:
- Jesus came to serve. His entire ministry was devoted to serving others through preaching, teaching, and healing.
- Jesus came to give His life. He truly was born to die. Jesus died on the cross in our place exchanging His perfect life for our sins.
Jesus focused on His mission and oriented His entire life around completing it. His strategy was to minister to the multitudes, but focus on a few. So he concentrated on teaching and training 12 men to change the world. He succeeded.
Jesus kept his eyes on the finish line. He knew that His time on earth was limited, and made the most of it. His final words on the cross were a victory cry, “It is finished!”
Application: God has a specific purpose for your life. Your God-given mission matches perfectly to the unique way God has designed you. He calls you to invest your time, talent and treasure on completing your mission.
So how do you discover your mission? “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). Follow these 3 steps:
- Ask: Start by simply asking God to tell you, and listen for His reply.
- Seek: Ask 2 questions:
- Strengths: “What do I do so well that I lose track of time and wouldn’t care if I got paid when doing it
- Passion: “What do I care about so deeply that I would be willing to sacrifice to see it happen? Then apply your strengths to your passion, and you have a mission.
- Knock: Keep at it until you know for sure that God has given you His mission for your life. He will open the door to adventure and opportunity you can’t even imagine.
Prayer
“Lord, I want to know my mission. Please tell me and show me my life purpose. Then open the door for me to make a difference for You in this world. Amen.”
© 2013 Designed to Serve®
Dr. Steve Lake is a retired educator with over 30 years experience in the American public schools. He has served in a variety of position, including teacher, elementary school principal, junior high principal, Associate Superintendent, retired from public education as Superintendent of Schools in Lincolnwood, IL. He has his Bachelors, Masters and Doctor of Education degrees from Northern Illinois University. For the past 25 years Steve has attended and been a member of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington and Northfield, IL. At Willow Creek Steve has taught adult classes on spiritual gifts, life purpose, and spiritual disciplines. He has ministered overseas in Angola, Zambia, Honduras, Germany, and Russia. Steve is co-founder of Designed to Serve, a ministry that equips Christians to live out their unique God-given calling. Steve is married and has two adult children who are married.
