Attention!

"Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, 

that you may gain insight."

Proverbs 4:1

Unfortunately, I did not grow up to be a very observant person.  How I wish that I had been a student of the Proverbs early in life, that I had made it a daily part of my routine to search out the truths that lay within the se words of God.  Not only does it give me insight, but it directs me to the rest of Scripture, the Book of Books.  It has taken me much of my adult years to learn how to observe. 

Life is full of opportunities to observe: 

Go to a busy park or mall; sit on a bench and watch people.  Look at their eyes, their movements, their attitudes. See what you can discover from watching them--how to dress and what not to wear, how to act toward a boyfriend or girlfriend or others around them and how not to act. Look for things that make someone appealing and things that make them unappealing.   Learn lessons from people by observing them.

 Okay, it's a redneck party, but you get the message!

Go to nature.  Watch the birds, the ants, the flowers and grass; determine from them some great lessons in life.  Then go to the Scriptures and see what they say about them.   (Luke 12:27, Matthew 6:26, Isaiah 40:7-8).  Jesus even talks about the rocks! (Luke 19:38-40)

What can you observe from the little chicks and the mama?

Observe a beautiful painting.  What mood is the artist setting?  What is going on?  What can you learn from the work of another?

 

Renoir:  The Luncheon of the Boating Party

1881

Be attentive to the words of the songs you hear.  Oh, my goodness, you will be amazed at what you might hear--words of encouragement, words of praise and worship, words of pure doctrine--or words that destroy, words that blaspheme, words of heresy.  Be careful, little ears, what you hear! 

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hand hath made,
I see the stars,I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed;

Stanza 2:
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze;

Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!How great Thou art!

Stanza 3:
When Christ shall come, with shouts of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"

Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art! 
Carl Boberg, 1859-1940





And of course, learn from the Holy Scriptures.  Be attentive to what God has to say.  There is no better teacher than the Teacher Himself, the Holy Spirit of God who inspired every word of the Bible.  As we are attentive to His words, we gain the insight we need in order to live a productive life, free from the pitfalls that we tend to walk into if we are inattentive.

Learning attentiveness,
Gloria

I am linking today with Linda at Prairie Flower Farm:
http://prairieflowerfarm.blogspot.com/2011/08/10th-building-our-homes-togetherjesus.html