The Principle of the Path: Paying Attention

July 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

By now, you probably think I am obsessed with Andy Stanley. Well, not exactly. But as you’ve probably noticed, his book The Principle of the Path is a challenging read. Today I will post my last devo from the book. This particular thought is centered around the cost of paying attention. Perhaps, we do not pay attention because of what it costs us to do so. Just a thought.

Thoughts

Chances are, nobody has demanded that you pay attention lately. They may have thought it. Actually, I have that thought every Sunday morning. But the use of that imperative is generally limited to home and school. It is, however, a loaded phrase. Why would we associate the term pay with the term attention? Why does a teacher have to tell a student who is staring out the window at a bird on the windowsill to pay attention? Why pay? Pay implies price. Pay implies cost. Pay implies giving away something of value. Loss. And it is this sense of loss that keeps us from paying attention to the things that deserve our attention and would serve us best in the future.

The reason you don’t pay better attention to your health is because doing so will cost you something. You would be forced to give up something you enjoy. The reason your neighbor isn’t paying more attention to his kids is because it feels like a payment. He would be forced to give up something else. Something that has captured his attention. It is the cost associated with paying attention to the right things that makes it so difficult to do.

When we pay for something, we expect to receive something of equal or greater value in return. And that is precisely what happens when we pay attention to the right things. You probably have plenty of experiences to validate that idea. If you graduated from high school, you’ve seen this dynamic at work. You received a diploma because you paid attention to school rather than allowing other things to capture your attention. And if your high school experience was anything like mine, I bet there were plenty of distractions. Fortunately for most of us, there were people in our lives during that season who kept reminding us to pay attention to what mattered most. Once high school is in the rearview mirror, the voices of reason disappear pretty quickly. The battle for our attention becomes severe. But it is an important battle to monitor, because it is a battle for the future. Again, as our attention goes, so goes our lives.

The capture-versus-pay dynamic explains a great deal of what we observe in our culture and in our lives. It is a tension we are forced to deal with every day on several fronts. We encounter it relationally, financially, professionally, and spiritually. In every arena of life, there are things vying for our attention. There are people and activities that have the potential to lure us away from the things to which we should be paying attention. And if we are honest, the cost of disentangling ourselves from unhealthy relationships and activities seems too high a price to pay. And at the same time, the benefits associated with paying attention to the right things seem so distant that they don’t whet our appetite for change. And so we continue to live our lives captive to the things that have captured our attention.

This tension is so central to the human experience that it should come as no surprise that we find it addressed in the Scriptures. What may astound you is the frequency with which it is referenced. Just about every one of the more than three dozen authors of the Old and New Testaments alludes to or speaks directly about this priniciple. Over and over, God reminds us that the things to which we harness our attention direct our lives; whatever captures our attention will determine our destination.

Application

Do you agree with Stanley’s premise: “It is the cost associated with paying attention to the right things that makes it so difficult to do”?

When have you failed to pay attention and suffered for it? When have you chosen to pay the price and reaped the rewards of doing so?

In your life, where are you unwilling to pay the cost associated with paying attention right now? (family, spiritual walk, job, etc.)

Prayer

Father,

How convicting are these words this morning?! Though I long to have the relationship that Moses had with You, the heart for You that David had, and the vision of You that John had, I am most often unwilling to pay the price that those men paid. They devoted themselves to You in ways that I find it difficult to do. In a world of pleasures, the events happening outside are far too enticing at times. I ask that You grant unto me the dedication and commitment to pay the price of paying attention to You. Holy Spirit empower me and live this life within me. I long for more, help me to now pay the price for MORE.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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The Principle of the Path: Attention = Direction

July 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Due to some computer software glitches last week, I was unable to post the second part of The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley. This morning’s devo focuses on the second part of the principle’s equation: Attention determines Direction. As we noted last week, Direction, not intention, determines Destination. I am continually challenged by this principle and its effect on my life. May you consider these words from Andy Stanley below.

Thoughts:

All of us have people or events or opportunities in our past that reflect the much-more-frequent flip side. Looking back, there are people you wish you had never met. Relationships you wish you’d never initiated. Numbers you wish you’d never called. Voice mails you wish you’d never acknowledged. Business ‘opportunities’ you wish you had ignored. Life was better before these things grabbed your attention. In many cases, the path you were on before they came along was the path you should have adhered to. But you didn’t And what grabbed your attention altered your direction…

Remember how common sense seemed to get railroaded by the attention of whatever or whoever it was that grabbed your attention? Before you knew it, you were moving in an entirely different direction. Usually there is a strong emotional appeal to the things that capture our attention. We get sucked in to those detours because something emotionally engaging is on those paths. My observation is that the things that tend to grab or capture our attention are often things I should avoid. Advertisers make a living trying to capture my attention. And that’s okay. Everybody needs to eat and live indoors. Great advertisements appeal to our emotions. Let’s face it: malls and car dealerships are not emotionally neutral environments. But often the things that grab our attention lead to regret.

What captures our attention influences our direction. Attention, direction, destination. That’s the principle of the path in three words. And as your attention goes, so goes your life…

But we, unlike our friends in the animal kingdom, can choose to give our attention to things. You and I are not necessarily ruled by the things that grab or capture our attention. We certainly can be and have been. But we have a choice. We can give our attention to anything we choose to give it to. And that means we have the potential to harness this amazing principle to our benefit. If attention determines direction, and we can choose what or who gets our attention, then that gives us a lot of leverage concerning our future.

Whereas emotion fuels the things that grab our attention, intentionality fuels our decision to give certain things our attention. And I bet you would agree, the things that we choose to give our attention to are generally better for us and set us up for success in the future. Once again: attention, direction, destination.

Application:

What has grabbed or captured your attention and led you in a direction opposite your desired destination?

In what ways have you allowed emotions to lead you?

How are you intentionally choosing your direction and destination in your life right now?

Prayer:

Father,

As an emotional being, I am often easily led astray from the destination I desire to achieve. In Christ-like fashion, empower me to live intentionally on target. Never deviating from His purpose, plan, or placement, He intentionally lived every moment. Today, in my life, help me to achieve that single goal…to live on purpose. In doing so, I will be move closer to fulfilling my high-calling in Christ Jesus. Holy Spirit lead me on!

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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The Principle of the Path: Direction = Destination

July 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Several weeks ago, I stumbled across Andy Stanley’s The Principle of the Path. Immediately, his words resonated within me. It seems so simple, yet it is easier said than done. Whether it is the area of my finances  or our walk with Christ, this simple principle has the potential to drastically change lives. May you be challenged as I was with this excerpt from Andy’s book.

Thoughts:

Looking ahead we are often deceived into thinking that life is a series of unrelated decisions, and somehow we will end up where we want to be simply by force of will or luck. Or as I have heard so many people say, “It’ll work out somehow.” But if you can see a path in the rearview mirror that reflects where you’ve been and explains where you are, then there must be a path ahead of you as well. A path that, like all paths, has a specific and oftentimes predictable destination.

And that brings us, at last, to the principle of the path. Here it is:
Direction–not intention–determines our destination.

The direction you are currently traveling–relationally, financially, spiritually, and the list goes on and on–will determine where you end up in each of these respective arenas. This is true regardless of your goals, your dreams, your wishes, or your wants. The principle of the path trumps all those things. Your current direction will determine your destination. And like every principle, you can leverage this one to your advantage or ignore it to your disadvantage. Just as there are paths that have led us to places we never intended to be, there are paths that lead us away from those places as well.
Whereas no one disputes the validity of this principle as it relates to planes, trains, and automobiles, the conflict starts when it is applied to the other areas we have touched on. But as we dig deeper, I think you will begin to see that the principle of the path governs all aspects of life; including dating, marriage, child-raising, career, finances, health–you name it. Direction–not intentions, hopes, dreams, prayers, beliefs, intellect, or education–determines destination. I know it’s tempting to believe that our good intentions, aspirations, and dreams somehow have the ability to do an end run around the decisions that we make on a daily basis. But at the end of the day, the principle of the path determines the outcome. Simply put, you and I will win or lose by the paths we choose.

Application:

What has been one of the largest decisions you’ve made that seemed insignificant in the moment, but has impacted your life greatly?
Have you ever chosen a path contrary to your preferred outcome, but still thought somehow things would turn out like you wanted?
Looking at your life right now, where are your chosen paths leading you?

Prayer:

Father,
Admittedly, I have too often chosen paths that are contrary to the desires You have for me and that I have for myself. Ignorantly, I still tend to think I can get to desired destinations while making decisions to travel in opposing directions. Help me to ever challenge the process of my decisions. May I keep before me the plans and expectations You have for me and the preferred outcomes I have in You. I long to live a fulfilled and purposeful life in You. May I move further in that direction today.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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