Focus.
It is a word that is talked about a lot. People know that they need to focus on their work, on their family, on their friends, and on their responsibilities. Even though the word denotes a singular ambition, when people talk about what they are “focusing” on it usually involves a multiple of priorities and ambitions.
Jesus made it clear, however, that the focus for the Christian should be singular in nature. Although many people have tried to “balance” their commitment to Christ with their commitment to something else, Christ deserves and demands supremacy. In Luke 16, He said, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (V. 13, ESV). Jesus was revealing what countless generations of lives have proven – a person truly committed to serving Christ will not be pursuing any other interest. Everything in that person’s life will pale in comparison to their devotion to Him.
This can seem to be a hard truth. After all, the Christian has relationships and concerns just like the non-Christian, and Jesus was not dismissing those. Instead, He was teaching His disciples that pursuit of anything in place of or in addition to Him would bound to be a disappointment. No one can fill the “God-shaped hole” that we each have except for God Himself. When we seek Him first, and He is the focus of our pursuits, our passions, and our petitions, than we can trust that our hearts will be satisfied and that He will provide all we need to live the life He has called us to live.
