My mom and I are going through Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild by Mary Kassian together. We read a chapter a week and then discuss it. This week we were on Chapter 6 - Focus: What Commands Your Attention. It was a fantastic reminder, especially as the holiday season fast approaches, bringing with it the commercials, the sales, the ads that all scream that the true meaning of Christmas is all about me, me, me and get, get, get. But Mary Kassian graciously points out the simple, yet profound, truth, that our focus must first be on Christ and then on being a giver.
"A Girl-Gone-Wise ... has a kingdom-focus instead of a me-focus. She's far more concerned about what she can give than what can she get." - from Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild Chapter 6So where is your focus? Is it kingdom-focused or is it me-focused? We all have those selfish moments when our attention shifts from Christ to me, but what is our primary focus? And how do we know? I encourage you to consider these questions from Mary Kassian:
- Do you more than anything want to know Christ and make Him known?
- Is your life all about enjoying God and making Him famous?
- Do you focus on building Christ's kingdom - not on building your own?
- Do you busy yourself with your mission and trust the Lord to take care of the rest?
- Is your focus on kingdom business?
- Are you a giver or a getter?
"Whether you are eight or eighty-eight, you can shift from a predatory me-focus to a productive kingdom-focus. Don't squander your life. Don't waste your time lying in wait. Christ is too important. Time is too precious. The needs are too great. Too much is at stake." - Mary Kassian