Focus

My son Sean came home from church today with a really neat story and visual aid. He got a piece of paper and started telling his story as he folded the paper into the things he mentioned. It started something like this. "There once was a very wealthy man who was unhappy so he decided to buy himself a big boat and go sailing all around the world." Sean proceeded to fold the paper into the shape of a boat (you get the idea). "But the boat did not make the man happy" he said. "So he bought himself a big house, but that didn't make him happy either. So he decided to buy a jet plane. The plane did not make him happy, so he bought himself a rocket." Sean tore parts of the plane off and made a rocket. "The man was still not happy. What will make me happy the man said." Then Sean proceeded to unfold the rocket and it was a cross. He said, "the man realized that only Jesus could make him truly happy".

What a wonderful lesson. Something that we seem to forget so easily these days. With all the stuff available to use it seems like we are always wanting something. Whether it is the big screen TV with surround sound or the nice car. It could be something as small as a Lego Bionicle or as big as a house. What's you weakness? For some it could be electronics, others jewelry. These things don't make us happy. Sure they can make life nicer and I am not saying that it is wrong to have these things. But when we start putting our stuff before what is more important, that is when it becomes a problem. Jesus and only Jesus is what can make us truly happy. The things of this world will pass away. Jesus is there forever. Without him we are lost. At the end of the story there will be no remake, no going back, no second chances. There is no reincarnation. That's it. We live our life right today following Jesus or we spend eternity in a very unhappy place.

It isn't going to be easy and we will all struggle. The key is to keep our eyes fixed on the eternal one, Jesus Christ. It's like in the gospels when we read about Jesus walking on the water during the storm and Peter having faith to step out on the waves. As long as he kept his eyes focused on Jesus he did not falter, he did not sink. But as soon as he took his eyes off Jesus and started looking around at the waves and the world around him he started sinking. That is what happens to us. When we focus on the world and don't keep our eyes on Jesus we start to sink. Let us keep our eyes focused on what will make us truly happy and one day we will live with him in eternal glory.