Like most people, one of my greatest strengths is also one of my greatest weaknesses. I’m goal-orientated. Once I start a job I’m totally focused and don’t want to stop until the job is complete. In other words, I’m not easily distracted, which is a good thing. But I don’t like interruptions, which is a bad thing.
However, I’ve come to realise that being focused on the job isn’t the problem; it goes much deeper than that. It's the underlying issue of priorities.
This morning I was grappling with the story in Luke 9 about the disciples returning from their time away, travelling from village to village, teaching and healing. I guess they had a lot to tell Jesus and he decided they’d go away to a quiet place. Maybe to regroup, debrief, I’m sure they had lots of stories to share, or maybe he knew they all needed a good rest, including him. Whatever the reason, they headed for Bethsaida.
The problem was that the crowd discovered their plan and rather than a quiet time together, they found themselves besieged with over 5000 people. At the very least I’d have felt frustrated, if not angry … surely I was allowed some quiet, quality time alone with friends without intrusion. I need time to be refreshed and so do my disciples.
But Jesus had a very different heart. He welcomed them. He went right on teaching and healing the sick until evening. Maybe he saw the people’s ‘hunger’ for truth, maybe he wanted to make the most of whatever opportunities were given him to teach them about his Father. One thing I know for sure, he looked on them with compassion and poured himself out in love.
However, I’ve come to realise that being focused on the job isn’t the problem; it goes much deeper than that. It's the underlying issue of priorities.
This morning I was grappling with the story in Luke 9 about the disciples returning from their time away, travelling from village to village, teaching and healing. I guess they had a lot to tell Jesus and he decided they’d go away to a quiet place. Maybe to regroup, debrief, I’m sure they had lots of stories to share, or maybe he knew they all needed a good rest, including him. Whatever the reason, they headed for Bethsaida.
The problem was that the crowd discovered their plan and rather than a quiet time together, they found themselves besieged with over 5000 people. At the very least I’d have felt frustrated, if not angry … surely I was allowed some quiet, quality time alone with friends without intrusion. I need time to be refreshed and so do my disciples.
But Jesus had a very different heart. He welcomed them. He went right on teaching and healing the sick until evening. Maybe he saw the people’s ‘hunger’ for truth, maybe he wanted to make the most of whatever opportunities were given him to teach them about his Father. One thing I know for sure, he looked on them with compassion and poured himself out in love.
The story raises big questions for me:
How wiling am I to be interrupted?
Where do I see people as an intrusion rather than an opportunity to share God’s love?
Can I genuinely and lovingly welcome the intrusion and give 100% of myself?
So often my priorities are more about my time than Gods, my plans than his.
How wiling am I to be interrupted?
Where do I see people as an intrusion rather than an opportunity to share God’s love?
Can I genuinely and lovingly welcome the intrusion and give 100% of myself?
So often my priorities are more about my time than Gods, my plans than his.
I once heard a wedding speech, in which someone said that we all have the same 24 hours in the day, plenty of time to do what God has asked us to do. So I wonder why we frequently feel we can’t fit in all we need to do. Perhaps we’re living our own agenda.
I think the secret is becoming consciously available to God throughout the everydayness of life with a mindset that whatever comes into my life, is from his hand ... an opportunity, a lesson, an invitation ... or as a friend of mine says, a divine appointment, not an intrusion.
I think the secret is becoming consciously available to God throughout the everydayness of life with a mindset that whatever comes into my life, is from his hand ... an opportunity, a lesson, an invitation ... or as a friend of mine says, a divine appointment, not an intrusion.
Photos: taken in the Royal Botanic Gardens
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