Engaged in 2023
I love seeing engagement posts that describe the “ask” and the acceptance of a couple who will soon get married. But engagement in my blog today is about being fully engaged aka less distracted and more on-purpose in giving our undivided attention (fixed eyes) to those we encounter.
Take for example my first day back at the family center this week. After being away for well over a month, I wanted to quickly scan the thrift store for treasures. That’s one of the perks to volunteering there.
But, a co-worker, who I hadn’t seen for weeks, was so excited to tell me about her recent eye surgery and how much better she could see. I really wanted to scout out the deals, but I stayed engaged, looking into her eyes, rejoicing in her good news!
To be engaged means capture attention, grip, captivate, absorb, pledge, contract, promise, agree, bind oneself, interlock, unite. That is the engagement I’m talking about today! It is giving others my undivided attention.
My goal, this year, is to be engaged in someone telling me their story or being present in a family game or watching a movie together or going to church together or sharing a moment together or just enjoying a meal together without interruption.
Have you ever “engaged” someone in conversation, only to see them looking away or looking at their watch or phone? How did it make you feel? On the other hand, was it you that someone was speaking to, and you didn’t seem to care about what they were saying by your body language — looking away?
While I want to do better in being engaged and in the moment this year, I want to be “engaged” in listening for God’s voice and cultivating my relationship with Him as though I were engaged to marry someone.
When my sweetheart and I were engaged, we spent countless hours on the phone. We couldn’t get enough of “talking and sharing” with each other. He was ALWAYS on my mind. My focus was on him — morning, noon, and night. I was ENGAGED and I acted like it in my thoughts and daily interactions with him.
Remember when Peter had the courage to get out of the boat and walk on the water to Jesus? He did, but then his eyes looked away at his circumstances, and he almost drowned.
Most of all, I want to be ENGAGED in my walk with God — seeing Him everywhere I turn, keeping my eyes on Him, and listening for His voice. When I do that, I will see, hear, and know the path to walk in. He is THAT important to me.
In dog obedience training, they put a dog at one end of a room and its master at the other end of the room, with a plate of food in the middle. The master calls the dog. If the dog eyes the food, he’s a goner; he’ll go straight for it. So, they teach the dog to focus his eyes on the master. If the dog keeps his eyes on the master, he won’t be tempted. Instead of heading for the food, he’ll head straight to the master.
Aw! That’s what we should want – keeping our eyes on our Master. Our eyes on Him distracts us from our gnarly circumstances and problems. Our eyes on Him focuses us on God’s promises, His goodness, mercy and grace.
“Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends on beginning to end.” Hebrews 12:2