Doing a word study in the bible for the words “one thing” led me to three verses that seem to fit together, and they fit together in a kind of philosophy of life—life as God intended it—a life of focus.
First, I came across the scripture passage where Martha is very worried about the details involved in hospitality. Martha wants Jesus to rebuke her sister, Mary, for not helping her. Jesus doesn’t do it. Martha’s hospitality gifting is indeed a good thing but her worries over it were not.
“There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” ~ Luke 10:42
Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus in a posture of worship and listening for his wisdom and instruction. Her focus was on Jesus. Mine should be too. I often get so caught up in my to-do list that I forget why I’m doing those things in the first place.
To focus means to concentrate on a central point by letting your mind settle on the heart of the matter. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the center.
The second scripture in my study comes out of Philippians:
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. ~ Philippians 3:13-14
The Apostle Paul’s one thing focus is the present moment. Looking too hard at the past leads me to regrets and looking too long at the future leads me to worry about how I’ll get there. Paul even wants us to forget our past successes and not get stuck in the pride of relishing in all our good times. The goal is to press on in today’s moment to finish my race well. There are no regrets or worries if I simply concentrate on the next step I see. It’s when I look away from that first step, that negative thoughts arise. And Christ called me to this race so just like Mary my focus is on Jesus.
The last scripture in my brief study is:
But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. ~ 2 Peter 3:8
This time the “one thing” emphasis is on time and how great a resource it is. Many precious days can go by just like that when I’m not purposeful or when I’m simply doing what I feel I must do to get by. Days, months, and even years can seem to slip through my hands with nothing to show for them. But one day full of focus and purpose can feel like a year. Ask people that are waiting in an ER waiting room for a loved one’s prognosis and you’ll find that this is true. Time is short and a lifetime can go by like that but with focus each day can be more purposeful.
The answer seems to be to focus my time on activities that worship God. What activities worship God? Christians immediately think of going to church and reading their bible, but these activities are only the beginning. I want to do those activities, but I also want to go beyond them to activities that help other people. Pausing for a moment in the morning, even when I’m in a hurry, to wish my husband a good day and kiss him goodbye. Slowing down to let someone into my traffic lane. Stopping to listen for the answer instead of just using “How are you?” as a greeting. Going the extra mile in a task at work. Speaking to someone who looks like they’ve had a rough day or possibly even a rough year. Sometimes it’s as simple as pausing to care instead of rushing in my own agenda.
What can I do today that can help others? The answers are as different as the people who ask that question and different on different days. Everyone is called to help others but how they do it is an individual thing.
Focus on the reason to care for other people which is God’s love.
Focus on caring for others today—not what you should have done yesterday or will do tomorrow.
Focus on using the biggest resource you have—time—wisely.