Look Where You’re Going – Day 11
I was always told by my wonderful driving instructor
Look at the place you want to go
Don’t look at what’s either side, or in front of the bonnet, but up the road at the place you’re aiming for, then you’ll be on the right course.
It turns out, they were wise words, not just for driving, but for life and faith as well. Thanks Llew! We can easily be distracted by things that aren’t important, or are only of temporary significance, when our focus needs to be on where we’re heading. As we wait, as we journey through Advent and beyond how true that is. Yet it can be so easy to be distracted by things that don’t really matter…
And so Henri Nouwen tell us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus – the one who behaves the right way. Who isn’t looking for power and self-glorification, but touches the lame, the poor the weak; who speaks forgiveness and encouragement – and brings peace.
I don’t know about you, but in a world that increasingly frustrates me and often makes me despair, that’s somewhere I’d much rather be looking. Yes we have to cope with the daily distractions around us, but we can only really achieve that by keeping our focus on Jesus. That’s not a cop-out, or to be ‘other worldly’, or no earthly use, but to keep in mind what really matters, and to emulate in our lives the ways of Jesus.Perhaps that will make the world a little more bearable for others.
12 God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. 13 Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. 14 Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.
15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful.
Lord,
there are so many distractions;
so many things that seem important
– but aren’t really;
situations that vie for attention
that are only temporary.
Help me not to be swayed by what doesn’t matter,
to forget what is really important.
Lord,
Prince of Peace,
forgiver,
encourager,
may my focus be on you,
and your ways
This year for Advent, some friends and I are using Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen. You’re welcome to join us on this journey. Feel free to comment here, or on Twitter using #adventbookclub
Pam's Perambulation 
A good mediation. Thank you. One such distraction, for me at least, is responding somewhat too heatedly to issues raised in Twitter. Blowing off steam probably does me and maybe a reader or two no good at all!
Thanks.
I think the thing is to know what to get wound up about (from the school of do as I say, not as I do!!). The best advice I was ever given is choose your battles. Decide what you are willing to go to the stake for, and stand firm on that. Let someone else take on the other battles. I’m not very good at it…
Agree – choose your battles, especially on Twitter – made me think today about how we’re expressing the joys of Christian living when we’re always fighting on Twitter – love debate, but often doesn’t look like that, and when people get aggressive… 😦