Being the centre of attention

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear . . . 

For some people, these are pleasant words; for others, well – they would rather do a bungee jump than hear them. The words themselves are innocuous, but they represent a moment when they are the sole focus of attention. They would do almost anything rather than be exposed to those seconds of scrutiny. It doesn't seem to matter whether people are being friendly to them or not; it is just the sheer embarrassment of being the focus of attention that gets to them.

 

There are times when none of us like being the centre of attention. Last year, I had an accident as my wife and I started our annual holiday. I tripped and ended up with a severe gash on my head. As I sat and waited for the paramedics to arrive, I realized that everyone who passed by was having a good look at me. It was most uncomfortable to be scrutinized by a pulsating throng of tourists.

It got me thinking! So often, people are watching us. We can be unaware of it, but we are being observed. Now, it's not a good idea to live life looking over your shoulder, but it is wise to remember that you are a role model to someone. A good example is a great teacher, but bad behaviour is often inadvertently copied and has devastating effects. What type of role model are you? Would your family have a good example to follow if they imitated you? How about your colleagues – are you a good example to follow? What do your friends admire you for?

Planning for summer

Have you got any plans? What about the holidays? Do you have any dates in the diary? These and many more questions are asked time and time again at this time of the year. The sun is out and it’s beginning to look like the winter is past and spring has come, so you can get your summer clothes out and plan. So, how are your plans going? For many people, the planning process and the expectation of holidays are almost as good as the holiday itself. I wouldn’t go that far, but I know what they mean. Anticipation and the prospect of getting away and enjoying the break can be very liberating.

 

Some people get to a stage in life when they feel they have nothing to look forward to. That is so sad, but I can see where they are coming from. If you think that this life is all there is, then it would be pretty logical to get depressed as you get older. Most of us accept that the ageing process will mean adjusting what we do to match our physical ability or energy levels. You can still live an interesting and exciting life if you keep the right attitude and take change in your stride.

Running away from God

Photo courtesy of Unsplash - Nicolas Picard

Photo courtesy of Unsplash - Simone Nespolo

Photo courtesy of Unsplash - Richard Loader

Have you ever felt that somehow God is speaking to you?

Maybe you have look around at the at the wonder of His creation. Maybe you were looking out over a panoramic view over mountains and lakes, saw the way a spider spins its web, a caterpillar moves or even the intricate insides of a delicate flower. Different things impress different people. For David the psalmist it was the magnificence of looking up into the heavens and gazing at the stars, it caused him to declare in Psalm 19, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God!’

God’s creation tells us of His very existence, God shouts out to us through His ‘handiwork’. In fact, Romans chapter one tells us that we can’t just remain undecided as to whether there is a God. We lie to ourselves if we say there is no God and God Himself says that this would be foolish.  It states that, ‘since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.’ So, God speaks to us through what He has made, He tells us that He is there. He speaks to us in different ways too. The Bible is often called God’s word. It is the very words of God, His messages, His instructions for us. Stop and think for a minute, if the Bible is what it says it is, God speaks to us every time we read the Bible.

Where has our sense of community gone?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

What a fantastic day! It had been really hot in Liverpool, which is quite unusual. I had been out on the streets running a Street Meeting with a couple of friends. We have a life changing message. If we do not get out and tell people about it we would be being very selfish. Not everyone sees it the way we do. Some people on the streets think that we are imposing our views on them. Others are not really interested in anything apart from what is in front of them at that point in time.What do you think? Should we be going out to tell people the message from the Bible or do you think we should just believe what we believe and keep it to ourselves?

 

If I had a cure for cancer I would be a very selfish person if I did not make it available to all cancer sufferers. If you were in financial danger and were not aware of it (and I was) I would be very selfish if I did not talk to you about it. Good news and solutions to problems should be shared. One of the downsides of the busy modern age is that we have become very impersonal. In the past, community and family meant we shared a lot more and helped each other. There are still as many nice people in the world now but we tend to keep ourselves to ourselves. On occasions this has developed to the stage where we are not aware of others needs and we fail to raise the alarm when we spot people in difficulty.