‘It is very easy to miss something you’re not looking for’. So concludes this Awareness test on YouTube.
*spoiler alert*
In the 1-min clip, viewers are asked to count the number of ball passes a team makes between four players. As the ball is passed around in a buzz, a conspicuous bear walks right through, and so the test really is about noticing the intruder while tracking the number of passes.
My guess is that majority of those who take this test for the very first time may fail to spot the bear, not necessarily because of problematic eyesight, but because of the nature of focus. Of course there will be those who manage to track the number of passes correctly and still notice the bear, but perhaps not too many, well at least not me.
Keeping sight of the main thing
Focusing on one thing often means being distracted from another. Little wonder that a city transport company leveraged on that unwritten principle to campaign for safe road use, particularly in relation to cyclists, who tend to be the victims of drivers who are unaware of them. On a busy road, lack of awareness could be fatal, and on life’s rather brief sojourn, allowing ourselves get distracted from the main thing could equally prove disastrous.
The reality of life in the 21st Century is that there is so much clamouring for our attention that it would take an ample lot of discipline and determination to maintain focus on just about anything. Yet, not everything bears equal significance, so we learn to assign value judgement to activities and pursuits that demand a slice of our time, energy, resources and attention – almost like a mental sorting into ‘major’ and ‘minor’ categories.
For the believer, what really matters is an unhindered focus on Jesus, as we run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Not as though Christians are therefore barred from secular pursuits. Far from it! We’re called to do as unto The Lord whatever our hands find to do, albeit with a motivation directed to the good of others and to the glory of God.
In more vivid terms, maintaining focus on Jesus is like a tightrope walking experience, where the acrobat dare not take his/her eyes off that lifeline, not even for a split second. Yes, we are that vulnerable! For the moment our gaze shifts, is the moment we look to something less potent to save and satisfy us.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, the Bible admonishes. If we’re not actively seeking God’s kingdom, chances are that we would miss it anyway. It’s either we’re looking to Jesus or not. So on what, or betterstill, who is your focus today?
Thanks for reading!
Sike Osinuga.