Fixed Focus

Bible Reading: Matthew 14:22-31

“Hey! Look where you’re going!” Ben said. His older brother was driving him to school and had let the car drift over the yellow line. Dakota quickly jerked the steering wheel to the right, and Ben drew a deep breath. “What if another car had been coming?” Ben asked.

“Sorry,” Dakota said. “That was dumb. I know better than to mess with the radio when I’m driving.”

“Yeah,” Ben muttered. “From now on, please keep your eyes on the road!”

They drove in silence for a while. Then Dakota spoke. “Know what? What happened here fits in with what you were just telling me about the guys at school who’ve been picking on that new kid—Mason, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, but how does your fumbling around with the radio have anything to do with that?” Ben asked.

“Well, you said those guys seem to expect you to join them, and if you don’t, you’re afraid they’ll pick on you too. I think you’re focusing on the wrong thing,” Dakota explained. “That’s kind of like me taking my eyes off of the road, don’t you think? As soon as I focused on the wrong thing, I started getting into trouble. See what I’m getting at?”

“I—I think so,” Ben said. “You’re saying I’m too worried about myself—as though my eyes are fixed on me. I could stay on track better if my focus was fixed on other people instead of myself, right?”

“In a way, yes,” Dakota said, “but especially on Jesus. He saved you and made you a new person, and He wants you to be kind to Mason. What are some ways you could do that?”

Ben drummed his fingers thoughtfully. “Umm…if I care more about what Jesus thinks than what those guys think, I can make friends with Mason. I can sit with him at lunch and talk with him when we have free time. Stuff like that.”

“Good!” Dakota said. “Those are great ideas.”

As they pulled up at the school, Ben grinned at his brother. “Keeping my focus in the right place is a lesson I don’t want to forget,” he said. “Let’s hope you remember it too whenever you drive!” Susannah Dorfsmith

How About You?

Where is your focus? Is it on yourself? On others? On a problem you’re facing? If it’s on any of these, you’re a lot like Peter in today’s Bible reading. When he focused on the wind and the waves instead of on Jesus, he was in trouble. When you face a problem, remember that you belong to Jesus and trust Him to help you do what He wants you to do. Keep your focus on Him.

Today’s Key Verse:
Hebrews 12:2 [Let us fix] our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Focus on Jesus