Focus

During Pop Warner football practice, while talking to our players at our first water break, I noticed that very few of them were paying attention. Some were watching the cheerleaders practice. Some were looking at the birds in the trees. And, some were just staring off into outer space. Consequently, when it came time to perform their conditioning drills, most of the players did not execute them properly.

Frustrated by their effort, I made a commitment to rebuke them if they did not pay attention to the coaches during their second water break. Once again, as the coach began to speak to the team while they guzzled water, most of the players began to daze off. This time I quickly stepped in and reminded them of the importance of listening to and focusing on the coach while he speaks. Their next session of conditioning drills went much better because this time they focused on the coach while he was giving instructions.

During his presidential campaign, Governor Mike Huckabee told a story to illustrate a point on the importance of staying focused on the right responsibilities. The story was about his assistant who worked for him while he was governor of Arkansas. He described how people would frequently assume that his assistant had a difficult job working for a governor. She would quickly correct them by telling them her job was quite easy. Shocked by her response, most people would then ask, “How so?” Then, she would tell them her job was easy because all she had to do was please one person—the governor.

Hebrews 12:2-3 says, “2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

One of the keys to positioning yourself for victory is staying focused on the right things. An athlete must focus on the coach’s instruction, an assistant must focus on the agenda of her boss, and a Christ-follower must stay focused on Jesus.

Are you focused on the right things?