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Pay attention to what you pay attention to. I don’t know about you, but I hardly ever really pay attention to the world around me. Maybe this is due to the fact that I get busy. Maybe it’s a little dab of attention deficit disorder. Maybe I don’t pay attention because I can’t afford to pay it. I often realize I pay attention to the wrong stuff. I pay attention to the things that rob me of my joy and irritate the snot out of me. I pay attention to the mess that can pull my focus from God to other items. I pay attention to weird, crazy, different stuff which don’t do me a bit of good. Pay attention to what you pay attention to.

About 48 times in the Bible we see the phrase “pay attention” and each time deals with paying attention to what God says, what God asks of us, what God desires, what God plans. In Deuteronomy 28 we can read a huge section on the blessings which come from obedience. I personally need to read verse 13 often in paying attention to God and His ways as this verse tells us, “The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.”

You know, I can make a tail of myself when I don’t pay attention to God and His desires and try to run things my way. I can’t earn my way into eternity with God. Being a good-ol-boy ain’t gonna cut it for me. Being good enough ain’t good enough. I need to pay attention to what God desires. I need to pay attention to the world and the needs around me. I need to pay attention to opportunities to serve and help. I need to get over myself so I stop being a tail when God clearly desires I be the head of what is needed around me. It’s time I get over myself and my thoughts and my desires.

It’s past time I lay my will aside and pay attention to what God desires. It’s time I pay attention to what I pay attention to. Proverbs 5:1-2 out of The Message says, “Dear friend, pay close attention to this, my wisdom; listen very closely to the way I see it. Then you’ll acquire a taste for good sense; what I tell you will keep you out of trouble.” Pay attention to your community and see how you can be the good it needs.

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor at Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at www.kenbridgechristian.com.