Building for EternitySample

Steadfast or Strong Focus

Biblical Story: The Temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11)

Theme Verse: Colossians 3:2

We often focus on temporary things like money, popularity, or recognition, but God calls us to fix our eyes on what is unseen. The Bible reminds us that earthly things won’t last, but our relationship with God and His plans for us are eternal. Instead of worrying about what others think or what we have, God wants us to focus on what truly matters—things that last forever.

In Matthew chapter 4 we see Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. Satan tried to get Jesus to focus on gaining power, wealth, and fame—these things don’t last. But Jesus stayed focused on God’s eternal plan. He knew those temporary things weren’t as important as doing what God wanted Him to do.

I can think back to my time in school and just laugh at the things that were very important to me. The clothing I wore on a specific day or with whom I ate lunch during a specific year of school. These were incredibly important at the time. But now that I look back, I can have a bigger picture in mind of what I gained from school. My grades, the education I actually obtained, some social skills, and the deeper friendships I developed. I can step back from the details of those years in school and see the bigger picture.

Just like when you are building a lego set, if you jump ahead to build the parts that are most obvious, you might miss building the foundation of a building! You might end up so focused on the surface details that your structure falls down because it doesn't have a good base structure. In the same way, if we spend too much time worrying about details like money or being popular, we miss out on focusing on God’s bigger, eternal plan for us.

Or think of your life like an airplane on a long journey. If the plane makes a tiny course correction at the beginning, even just one degree, it could end up in a completely different city. That’s what it’s like when you choose to focus on what matters now. Alternatively, a small decision to pray, be kind, or focus on what God wants can change the entire direction of your life—and your eternity!

Can we take a step back, and focus on the big picture instead of all the details? Instead of worrying about being recognized or having the newest cell phone, can we focus on our relationship with God and others. Those are the things that will make a real difference in our lives here on earth and long into eternity. Remember, small choices you make now can lead to big changes in where you end up later!

Questions:

1. What things do you think are important to God, even though you can’t see them?

2. How does it make you feel to know that God wants you to focus your life on the eternal rather than the temporary?

3. What decisions can you make today to focus more on what God wants for your life?

Theme:

We often focus on things that don’t matter in eternity, like money and popularity, but God calls us to focus on what cannot be seen.