Today's episode highlights the importance of cultivating an outward focus, especially during Lent. I discuss how constantly thinking about ourselves can be exhausting and ultimately unfulfilling. Instead, we explore the idea that true fulfillment comes from generosity and serving others, which can deepen our encounters with God. We reflect on the example of Jesus, who modeled humility and selflessness, encouraging us to follow his lead. By shifting our perspective and focusing on the needs of others, we can find a more meaningful and satisfying way to live.
Takeaways:
In today's episode, we discussed the importance of having an outward focus in our lives.
We explored how constantly thinking about ourselves can be tiring and unfulfilling.
The example of Jesus teaches us that true humility involves serving others without seeking recognition.
We can find fulfillment during Lent by focusing on generosity and serving those in need.
Acts of humility, even small ones, can make a significant difference in our daily interactions.
Shifting our mindset from self-centeredness to an outward focus can energize our lives.
Hi, welcome to the Hobo Soul Podcast of Road Advice from the Bible and from me, Yvon Prehn, someone who's a little further down the road of life. I'll talk to you every weekday for about five to 10 minutes, with periodic longer talks on serious Saturdays.
Let's get started with our topic today, which is episode number 23,
The importance of an Outward Focus.
It can be extremely tiresome to always be thinking about ourselves.
We either beat ourselves up or we try to build ourselves up, and that neither one seems to work too well. Today's episode will give us an option. Our quote today is an anonymous one, but I found it and I thought that you might enjoy it.
I know it really spoke to me and our Quote for today says--
"May this time be one of outward focus seeking you God in those we often ignore. Help us live a Lent focused on freedom, generosity and encounter. Give us hearts hungry to serve you and those who need what we have to give."
And our challenge says--
"It is tiresome to always be thinking about yourself. It is ultimately not fulfilling. Outward focus, generosity and an ever deeper encounter with God and others, if during Lent we try to focus on those things, we we will find real fulfillment."
And now here's some additional comments on this topic.
We can't help but think about ourselves in a world that constantly reminds us of what we deserve, what we should want, how meeting our needs is the most important thing we could do now. There is value in all those pursuits, of course, and I'm not denying that we do need to take time for self care, rest and renewal.
But many of us don't have nearly as much trouble doing that as we do following what our quote recommends in living an outward focus in generosity and encounter in serving those who need what we have to give. How can we go about then shifting our focus in Lent from being totally self centered to an outward giving focus as in all things?
Let's look at the attitudes and actions of our Lord Jesus, reminding ourselves that we are his apprentices and that his life doesn't simply model good suggestions, but it gives us the pattern, the template for how we are supposed to live.
There are some passages in the Bible that can help us in this the first one comes from a letter that Paul wrote to a young church in Philippi and he was asking exactly the same question as we are how can we serve others? How can we get along with each other?
And he answers it in this way when he says, "In your relationships with one another have the same mindset as Christ Jesus who, being in very nature God did not Consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage. Rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant and being made in human likeness and being found in the appearance as a man.
He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross."
Now think of that. Jesus was God. The God who created all we can see and all we are.
And yet when he came to earth, he didn't claim any special privilege because of who he was. Quite the contrary. He humbled himself and became a servant.
Now we know humility is both one of the great Christian virtues and it's also one that is supposed to characterize all Christians. But humility is a funny, slippery thing.
And as it's often said, just when you think you're being truly humble, you've blown it because you become proud of being humble. But to be truly humble, that's kind of a goofy saying.
It does start in our minds though because when we compare ourselves not with other humans, but realistically with God, then we realize we're not too rich or too old or too senior or too important in an organization to think we're more important than anyone else.
When we forget God, all sorts of things, degrees, money, status, family, strength, intelligence, health, whatever we think we've got more of than anyone else can push humility right out of our minds. But looking honestly at what Jesus did, at his example, he never quit being God. He didn't deny he was that, but he set it aside.
And his humility of mind and heart abled him to then act in humility. Jesus, of course, did the ultimate act of humility when he humbled himself to the point of death to die for us in a horrible, painful, shameful way.
But long before that, ultimate humility. He modeled it in many ways during his life with the people he associated with. How he did not demand preferential treatment, how he was constantly giving of his time and attention.
One of the most significant acts of humility that Jesus did that we read about in the Bible, was just before he was about to be crucified, when he washed the disciples feet at the Last Supper. This job was usually reserved for the lowest of servants.
That he did it was extraordinary, but even more so when you realize that he did that before Judas left. He knew what Judas was going to do. He washed the feet of the man who would betray him.
And by this action he taught us that no one, no matter what they do or who they are, is unworthy of our service.
After finishing this, Jesus expanded on what he did when he said, "Do you understand what I've done for you? You address me as teacher and master, and rightly so. That's what I am. So if I, the master and teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you.
What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master. An employee doesn't give orders to the employer.
If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it and live a blessed life."
His pattern for us is to serve each other. Humility begins in our minds and should motivate all our actions.
We may need to pray for awareness in how we can do this, how in practice, we can serve others, those we love and those we don't know.
It's a little thing, but I remembered this when I was involved with the Navigators. It's a Christian organization, I was involved with in college.
One little thing they always reminded us to do was to clean up in public bathrooms after we used them most often, meaning to wipe down the sink, maybe even the mirror, and be sure all the trash was in the trash can.
Again, it was a little thing, but it took a moment where we had to pause and think about the people coming after us and to humble ourselves a tiny bit for people who would never know we did it, we had to set aside a few of our incredibly important minutes to humble ourselves to serve others. Again, people wouldn't know what we did, but Jesus knew.
He notices every time you pick up after yourself at home or out and about, when you let people with a few items go ahead in the grocery store line, no matter how much of a hurry you're in, when you're quiet, when someone expresses an opinion about something you might be an expert in, and you don't share your brilliant thoughts to let everyone know you know what you know. There are so many ways that we can do this. We just have to pause moment by moment in life and think about how can I model humility?
How can I be an apprentice to Jesus in his humility?
And then, in contrast with the exhaustion of constantly looking out for number one, the growing habit of looking outward in humility can energize your life with a quiet joy.
That's all for this podcast, for transcripts, links to related material, and much more to help you learn to know, trust, apply and teach the Bible, go to www.bible805.com for now, let me end with this benediction and prayer.
May you walk each day surrounded by the gracious love of the Father, guided by the gentle wisdom of the Holy Spirit and conscious of the astoundingly real presence of Jesus, who will walk with you until you're no more a hobo soul, no more a transient, wandering heart, but at home in the kingdom prepared for you with your God forever. Amen.
