Eyes, Ears and Hearts


 

Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one, the Lord is one. Love the Lord with all your heart and with all our soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5

I work in an elementary school where I am blessed to know a young woman named Shelley. Shelley is precious. She has a sweet, infectious spirit and her smile lights up a room. Even when she seems frazzled there is something about her that suggests joy. Her personality is very positive. She is the kind of person you want around when you need comfort or encouragement.

Whenever Shelley is attempting to get the children to focus on her she says, “All eyes, ears and hearts on me.” I love that. It is a gentle and loving way to say, “Focus people!” Her gentle, charming method works. The chatter stops and the children put their eyes and ears, so one supposes, their hearts as well, on Miss Shelley.

The other day while at an assembly I noticed that she changed her directive a little bit and I missed, “eyes, ears and hearts.” Later while reading Scripture I thought of her again. Isn't that what Moses was saying to the Israelites and later what Jesus was saying to His disciples in Luke 10:27?

“Love the Lord with all your heart.” How do we do that? By keeping Jesus as our central focus. If our eyes, ears and hearts are on our Lord, truly concentrated on Him, the distractions may have less power. I doubt very much there will be less distractions. In fact, I think the distractions increase when we determine to keep our eyes fixed on our Savior.

Look at Peter, (Matthew 14:25-31) he was all set to walk across the lake until he took his eyes off of Jesus. Then he sank. The wind and the waves distracted him as the proverbial wind and waves can distract us.

I love the Shema, the words from Deuteronomy. I love, love, love to come across them unexpectedly and to hear them quoted. They are strong powerful words. The truth behind them is the truth that guides my life. I am thankful for Shelley, for the reminder she brings me in the middle of a hectic work day. When I hear her, I can picture Jesus, with a broad inviting smile, the kind He graciously gave Shelley and I can hear Him say, “All eyes, ears and hearts on me.”

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