I travel widely on business and wind up having dinners with a variety of people from diverse backgrounds. I find that discussions can often turn to either spiritual topics or difficulties that the other person is enduring. Sometimes in the midst of business or engineering talk, another issue comes up. I need to be ready to deal with the new reality. Dallas Willard said that the first act of love is the giving of attention. I’ve noticed that before the giving of attention, you must learn to shift your focus to the other person so that you can then concentrate your attention on them. How often do you talk with someone and you notice that their attention is somewhere else and only superficially on you?
Jesus had this knack. He could be busy going somewhere, attending to something else, preaching, and then he would be interrupted. He could quickly shift the focus of his attention on the person, take in their need or question, and then deal with it in an appropriate manner. When they talk about being Christ-like, this is surely one of the elements.
Faith Venture 
March 1, 2010 at 11:24 am |
Isn’t the shifting of focus the same gift as the “giving of attention”?
March 3, 2010 at 12:17 pm |
You are probably right. Possibly two ways of saying the same thing. I guess I think of shifting focus as purposely choosing where I want to place my attention. I look at giving attention as an action you take when with someone and you are attentive to what they are saying and meaning–and not just thinking about your reply. I’ve found that most times they don’t want or need a reply. Just your attention.
March 1, 2010 at 4:48 pm |
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