In Matthew 14 Jesus came to the disciples walking on water. Peter said “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus told him to come on and Peter got out of the boat and was walking to Jesus on the water. Then Peter began to notice some other things. Matthew says that when he saw the wind, he began to sink. He cried out for Jesus to save him, which he did, and they got into the boat together.

We live in a very visually oriented world. The first television screens were a few inches wide, ranging from two inches to four inches. Today digital screens have reached 60 to 72 inches (and up) in the home market. We project video onto screens at church and even our song lyric slides have mountains or oceans behind them. Instant replay of sports scenes are broadcast on the Jumbotron in stadiums. Some of those screens are 60 feet displaying full HD images in all their LED glory. And it’s not just big screens. We watched YouTube videos and exchange Snap Chat pics on our phones. From billboards to vinyl wraps to ads on the sides of buses, advertisers hope to grab your attention.

When you look at Jesus, you move in the right direction. Peter was walking toward Jesus, as Jesus commanded at Peter’s insistence, until he saw the wind. Now I know you can’t see wind but Peter certainly noticed what the wind was doing. The wind was blowing hard, the waves were getting dangerous and at some point realized he was not in a boat! He began to sink when he looked away from Jesus; up until that point he had been moving toward him, not downward.

We moved in the direction we are looking. It happens both intentionally and unintentionally. If a drunk driver passes you on the highway he may look over at you and offer a goofy grin then start driving out of his lane in your direction. In sports you want to look at your target so that you move in the right direction. I preached this sermon the day after Georgia played Alabama. If you watch college football, you may recall Carson Beck threw a lot of interceptions that day (and in several games since then). The Alabama defense were good at looking at his eyes and knowing where he would throw the ball. No matter which direction he was moving, they knew where the ball was going because of where his eyes were looking.

Look at Jesus. If you want to move toward him, stay focused. That’s not to say there are not other things that are important that we sometimes need to pay attention to. If you are married and/or raising children, they will sometimes demand your attention and rightly so. Some ministry leaders pour themselves so completely into church work they eventually lose their families. That does not please God nor serve his purpose. But a married couple can and should be moving in the same direction. We all have jobs to work, bills to pay, parents to take care of later in life and a host of responsibilities all of which are important. If you close yourself off from the world and do nothing but read the Bible and pray then you cannot fulfill the Great Commission. Jesus teaches us about relationships and demonstrates how to build communities. What we have to do is prioritize, set goals and boundaries for how we spend our time and energy. Highly successful people, whether business owners or seminary graduates, have the same 24 hours a day as the rest of us. You may be able to do anything but no person can do everything. Look at Jesus. Move in his direction. Paul writes in Philippians 3:14 that he keeps his eyes on the mark for the prize of a higher calling. When Satan tempted Eve in the garden, she saw that the fruit was good for food. She could have eaten from any tree or plant but Satan showed her something else, the one thing she was not supposed to have.

Teams of horses wear blinders so they can only see straight ahead. They also have reigns and drivers. Christians have to function independently… to an extent. We have an advocate with the Father and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Ask God to direct your steps; but when you do, be willing to take a walk.

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This is part 1 of 3. When you look at Jesus long enough, everything else looks different. Read part 2 here.