Focus

And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”  Mark 13:1-2 (ESV)   

There are wonders of the world, designed and built by the hands of man. We see them often, marvel at how we accomplished such feats, and celebrate ourselves with vigor. We make certain that others realize how wonderful we are, and how fortunate they are to be associated with us.

Our myopic enjoyment is comparable to a small child’s fascination with a cardboard box. The man-made physical creations that awe us and point to man or this life will one day be in the trash heap of history. Chariots, stagecoaches and steam engines were marvels of their time and are now useless, other than collector items today.

When Jesus looked at something, He saw it through the correct lens. Man’s accomplishments were indeed grand, but nothing in comparison to what God has done, is doing, and will do. In fact, the focus on what we can accomplish can blur what God is about, and thereby distracts us from that on which we should focus.

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