Tag: attention

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Can I have your attention?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Amos 4.

Through Amos, God declares, “I sent famine and hunger, drought and thirst, blight and mildew, sickness, and destruction…Yet you did not return to me” (Amos 4). Now what? “Prepare to meet your God!” (4:12)

I can’t help but wonder, “What does it take to get someone’s attention?” Or better, “What does it take to get my attention?” And then, “Does God always get our attention with bad things? Couldn’t he communicate through blessings, too?” I’ve got lots of questions and lots of thoughts.

When bad stuff happens, and bad stuff will happen, I usually blame someone other than God. From greedy CEOs to corrupt government to lousy neighbors to aggressive drivers to a liberal agenda to self-absorbed people in general, God’s not the problem. They are. (Whoever they are.)

God’s not even on the radar. I am constantly talking to, listening to, thinking about, teaching about, praying to, and actively questioning God. But when life gets tough, I look for someone to blame. Blame God? No way. Not me. God is great and God is good, right?

Okay, so when good stuff happens (and if I’m paying attention, there’s so much to be grateful for), I give God credit. I say, “Thank you.” And then I get on with the rest of my life without much thought.

So back to my original question, “What does it take to get my attention?”

My conclusion? The grace of God. It’s not challenges. It’s not blessings. It’s not success. It’s not failure. It could only be God’s relentless pursuit of my heart through family, classmates, friends, employers, employees, critics, fans, and strangers I’ll only meet once in my life. God gets my attention through people who put up with me, listen to me, ignore me, irritate me, praise me, and insult me. God always spoke through people. I guess he still does.

Go figure. Ultimately, God sends his son, Jesus, a person, to talk to us, to get our attention. He was direct, compassionate, no nonsense, and merciful. He fed, healed, fished, sailed, walked, slept, ate, and drank to get their (my) attention.

“Prepare to meet your God.” If you won’t pay attention, he’s coming. He’s coming to you. He’s coming in the flesh.

Want to meet him?

You may not have a choice.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Focus

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Valeria Istrate on Unsplash

“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil” (Ecclesiastes 2:24).

Little kids know all about this. They live in the moment. They will devote all their energy and attention to a donut in a donut shop as if nothing else in the world matters or exists. Every sprinkle is important. Icing is meant to be gently licked. They have all the time in the world.

Me? A donut is three bites. In the car. On the way to…wherever. Big bite, fast chew, hard swallow, rinse and repeat.

i just want to slow down. Just sit and eat the donut. Savor each individual sprinkle. Enjoy every lick of icing. Leave the rest for someone else.

I want to savor every moment, bite, sip, and swallow.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Acting out

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jure Širić on pexels

A “through the bible” devotion from 2 Samuel 14.

I can tell when my dogs feel like they aren’t getting enough attention. They go out of their way to find a grandkid’s toy to chew on, one of my socks to drag into the backyard, or a stick to bring into the house from the backyard. One of the dogs will “spite pee” on a bathroom rug if he’s feeling ignored. They know how to get our attention!

They’re just like kids, only furrier. Children know they’ll get plenty of attention if they misbehave, make a mess, or ignore you when you are talking to them.

It’s a tale as old as time.

David and his son Absalom are estranged after some family drama. David’s oldest son Amnon rapes his half-sister Tamar. Two years later, Absalom, her brother, avenges her by having a drunk Amnon murdered at a feast. It is three years before David summons Absalom back to Jerusalem. But they don’t actually meet face-to-face. Guess what message that sends?

Two years later, Absalom wants Joab, David’s general, to arrange a meeting. Joab ignores him twice, so Absalom sets fire to Joab’s barley field. That gets his attention and an audience with his father, the king.

I know, that is extreme. But it makes me wonder, what have I done because I wanted or needed attention? Complain? Say a long, long prayer? Ignore someone? Say something inflammatory? Speak loudly? Or proudly?

In those moments, I need to remember that God always pays attention. As soon as I begin to pray, he’s listening. Sometimes he’ll say, “Cut it out!” (Repent!). Other times he’ll say, “Sounds good. Here you go.” Still other times He’ll just listen. My prayer goes on and on. He just listens.

He doesn’t notice me because I act out or accomplish something. He’s my God. He’s my Father. And I will always be his dearly loved child.

Posted in Stories

Dear supersized rubber duckie: you’ve got my attention

Posted on by William Douthwaite

So I’m driving down US 1 on my way home from St. Augustine, when I see this monster inflatable. I could’t help but grab a quick picture on my way back. I’m not looking for a hot tub and really don’t have anywhere to put one, but I really wanted to stop here just because of the rubber duck.

You can send me direct mail. I’ll take it right from the mailbox to the recycling bin. You can send me an email. It’ll go right to my spam. You can try to call or message me. I won’t answer your call. I’ll scroll right by your ad on social media. You can come knock on my door. I won’t even open the door to say, “No, thank you.”

But put a huge inflatable yellow rubber duck alongside of the road, and suddenly I’m interested. You’ve got my attention. I had to take a picture. And when I’m interested in getting a hot tub, you’ll probably be the first place I think of.

There is a marketing lesson in here somewhere. The visual, the outrageous, and the humorous makes for effective advertising. This world is way to serious. Give me a reason to smile, and I’ll little to your pitch. Fill up my mailbox, my newsfeed, or my inbox, and you’re nothing more than spam to me.

Give me something that makes me laugh. Or makes me say, “Whoa.” Or causes me to reach for my camera to get a picture. That’s how you get my attention.