Tips for Focusing on Jesus

Hi Friends,

Well, we had our pictures taken at church yesterday for the new directory, and oh, what an adventure with the 8 of us. You should have seen the poor photographer trying to get everyone to look at the camera at the same time and smile. Quite a task! But, as he was there making funny noises with a stuffed frog on his head (yes, really), I got some insight about Hebrews 12:2, where we're encouraged to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

I discovered that the only way to get a good picture was by all looking forward at the camera and smiling (like Joelle and Jordyn in the picture above), by "fixing our eyes" on the guy with the frog. When one of us stopped looking at the frog-headed man, and instead gazed off in our own direction, the picture wasn't a good one and was rejected by the photographer. But what was worse, was when the kids started looking at each other and telling each other to "look at the camera, smile, don't close your eyes." Bria would squint up her eyes (like she's doing in the picture below - alas!), then Joelle would look at her and say, "Bria, stop closing your eyes." Then, two people weren't doing the right thing. Next, Jayden would look at the baby, and Bethany would look at him to correct him, then Jayna would tell Bethany to look up, and now there were three who were not fixing their eyes on the photographer. Ack! We couldn't get a decent picture that way. It was only when each person decided to fix his/her own eyes ahead and be happy about it (smile!), and let the photographer correct the others, that we got a good picture at last.

Life in Christ is like that too, I think. The only way to get a good shot is if I fix my eyes on Jesus rather than looking around to see if everyone else is doing it right. It's God's job to correct others, to help them look forward and smile ... it's not mine to play God for them. When I fix my eyes on Jesus, he will perfect my faith. When I fix my eyes on how others are falling short, my faith only falters.

So today, I'm focusing on looking only to Jesus and letting him be the photographer in my life and in the lives of those around me.

May we fix our eyes on Jesus and be filled with joy!