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Jesus-Centered: Paying Ridiculous Attention to Jesus

Paying Ridiculous Attention To Jesus

"It is through our ridiculous attention to everything Jesus said and did that we discover the truth about God, and the truth about ourselves. We learn everything about God by slowing way down to consider what Jesus actually said and did, who he actually said and did it to, and the actual impact his words and actions had on people. When we let our pursuit of Jesus guide our understanding of God, our lives will be transformed by what we discover." -Rick Lawrence, The Jesus-Centered Life

Most of us like to think that we pay attention to the scenes and the people around us. But the truth is that even things right in front of us are easy to miss.

Generally, people aren't very good at paying attention. And specifically, people aren't good at paying attention to Jesus. How do we know? Because when surveyed, most people use the word "nice" to describe Jesus.

Rick challenges us to slow down and discover that Jesus isn't "nice." Instead, he's focused on our redemption because he loves us. And love is much deeper (and more confrontational) than nice.

Try it! Starting paying even more attention to Jesus by experimenting with some of these ideas from The Jesus-Centered Life:

  • Read the Bible with a "vacation" perspective that treats everything you read about Jesus as if it's the first time you've ever experienced it. What new thing(s) do you notice about him?
  • Don't ask, "What would Jesus do?" Instead, ask: "What did Jesus do?" The first tries to predict something that's unpredictable. The second is simply getting to know Jesus better. What do you learn about what he did?
  • After thinking about what Jesus did, think about what he didn't do during those stories. For example, if he healed people, he also didn't ignore people who came to him seeking healing. What new insights does this spark for you?

There's more to try! For more prompts like these, plus other Jesus-centered thoughts and ideas, download a free sample chapter of The Jesus-Centered Life.

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Showing 3 comments
  • Jane barbour
    Reply

    Thank you Rick ! I am loving the Jesus centered materials….bought the book, and can’t wait to delve deeper. Just ordered the Jesus Centered Bible. Your podcasts are challenging me to a new way of applying Jesus’s teachings and life.
    Just wanted you to know your work is appreciated ! More than that, it is helping me create a bond with The Lord i have always longed for ! Love “They say” with Becky too !
    Thanks you, blessings ! Would love to hear more on centering Jesus for the holidays.

    • Becky Hodges
      Reply

      Hi Jane! i am SO glad that you have been enjoying everything! Jesus is AWESOME. We are actually spending the season of Advent (November 27-December 24) paying ridiculous attention to Jesus together. We created a little challenge if you want to join us, here’s the details: https://www.mylifetree.com/advent-2016/

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