Jump Start  # 1127

1 Timothy 4:16 “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; preserve in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”

Pay attention. That is something that is heard nearly everyday in classrooms and in homes. Paying attention is the reason why most states now make it illegal to text and drive. It’s hard to pay attention to the road when you are looking at your phone. The opposite of paying attention is day dreaming, looking about, in a haze, mind wandering about. Focus is another word that defines paying attention. The other day I was driving to a church building that I had never been to before. I was to preach that evening. I was on the right road, but missed the building. I couldn’t find it. There were so many signs, traffic and stores that I never saw it. I had to call my friend Zack to find out where the place was. I wonder if that happens to us in life as well. There are so many things to look at, so much going on, that we don’t see each other. We don’t notice. We fail to pay attention.

We can live in the same house and still be strangers. We come and go and do the small talk but don’t really get to sit down and share life. This happens in marriages and it happens in parenting. The sad consequence of this is far too often in a marriage, one drifts apart and the other never realizes it. One is starving for attention and the other person wasn’t paying close attention. Eventually they find someone else who will give them the attention that they long for. By the time the other person realizes it, it’s too late.

In parenting, far too often, parents are the last to know that their kids are doing drugs. They didn’t catch the change in moods, grades and attitudes. They didn’t pay attention to who their kids were hanging out with. Then one day the school calls, or worse, the police knock on the door. The parents are shocked. They had no idea. They were not paying close attention.

The same lack of attention in a congregation is the reason some slip through the cracks. That’s a common expression we use. I’ve often wondered why there are cracks? Maybe if there wasn’t any cracks, no one would slip through them. But someone slowly and silently drifts away from the group. In time he stops attending all together. His lack of attendance becomes the visible sign. There were others. Prayer life has been suffering before this. His enthusiasm was dying before this. His connection to the word of God was falling off the charts before this. By the time any one notices, by the time someone finally pays attention, he’s long gone. His faith is shelved and he has moved on to other things. Why? Some shepherds weren’t paying attention. Some pay more attention to the balance in the check book than they do the condition that the sheep are in. As a result, some slip through the cracks.

Paying attention. Preachers want that on Sunday mornings. When I was a teenager, we wrote notes, not about sermons, but mostly to girls, during preaching time. We didn’t pay much attention. Today, it’s the phone and tablet. Now, it’s surfing, games and texting instead of writing notes. Same principle. Same problem. Not paying attention. I wish now that I had. I never thought about preaching back in those days. I didn’t think a whole lot about Jesus in those days. I didn’t pay much attention back in those days. Some of those lessons would have helped me, had I paid attention.

Paul’s words here are not about marriage, parenting, shepherding or even paying attention during worship. It’s about one’s own spiritual condition. We are to take ownership of our souls. It’s not the churches job. It’s not elder’s job, it’s my job to get serious about the Lord. Paul’s words are: “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching…” Watch yourself. Look at yourself. Examine yourself, as he would tell the Corinthians.

Pay close attention. I wonder if we really do that. Do we do that when we sit down to watch a movie? Do we do that when we chase all the rabbits we find on Facebook? “Ten things every parent must know…” Or, “The way you truly know you are in love.” Or, “Ten books you must read before you die.” Or, “What every Christian is afraid to admit.” Or, this advice and that advice. This link and that site. Do we pay attention or are we being influenced, taught and led down some wiggly places that takes our hearts away from Christ?

Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Listen to what you are saying. Do you hear yourself? Do you follow your own advice? Do you give it but not heed it yourself? Pay attention.

The sheep that does not pay attention will look up from his grazing and realize that the flock has moved on. He will find himself alone and in trouble. He wasn’t paying attention. Blame the shepherds for not telling your. Blame the environment. Blame the times we live in. Blame your upbringing. Paul says, “Pay attention to yourself…” Everything has an influence and an impact. The music does. The shows do. The articles do. The friends do. Even we do. Pay attention. Be careful what you are putting into you heart and soul. Not everything is healthy. Not everything is good. Some things may not be bad, but just not helpful. I’ve been to India. Some of the things I saw people eating, probably wasn’t bad, but I certainly wouldn’t put them in my mouth.

Pay attention. Pay attention to how you are doing. Paying attention will recognize whether or not you are growing or stagnating. It will show whether you are leveled off or increasing for the Lord. Pay attention to yourself.

Where I live, we pay attention to walking and driving in the winter. If you don’t you’ll fall on the ice or wreck your car.

Paying attention begins by seeing yourself as you really are. James used the example of a man looking in the mirror. He sees himself carefully and clearly. This is where paying attention begins. No games. No smoke. No excuses. Where am I spiritually? Am I getting stronger or am I drifting? Am I winning the battle over Satan or am I stuck on the merry-go-round of sin, doing the same wrong things over and over? Is my character, my attitude, my outlook, my hope where it ought to be? Or, am I consumed and obsessed with the trivial, worldly and mindless junk of today. Am I more interested in who wore what dress to what Hollywood award show or who remains in the competition, or what team is winning than I am where the church is and where I am spiritually? Pay attention.

The rich man in Luke 16 didn’t pay attention to what matters the most. He certainly paid attention to his finances. He dressed and ate well. He died and he had neglected his soul. He did not pay attention to those things. His five brothers were following in his steps. They were not paying attention to their lives. They would be with him in misery unless they started paying attention. The sad thing is that we will join them to if we do not pay attention.

Paying attention will allow you to make corrections, adjustments and changes. It will smooth your rough edges. It will make you go back and apologize when wrong. It will push you to do more. These things happen when one is paying attention.

You can tell when a college guy has been paying attention to his looks. His clothes may actually match and not be wrinkled. His hair may actually be combed. He may have even showered. Amazing how nice someone can look when they pay attention to self. The same is true spiritually.

Pay attention…have you done it in a while?

Roger