Walking The Beam

Read Proverbs 4:20-27

Alisha balanced carefully on the balance beam. Even though the basement floor was cushioned with a gym mat, she hated to slip off the narrow beam. “This is hard!” she moaned after taking a few steps. “I’ll never be good enough for the gymnastics team.”

“Focus,” Mom said gently. “You need to concentrate and focus your eyes on that picture you put up.”

Alisha lifted her foot carefully while staring at the picture placed on the wall straight ahead, but she still wondered if her foot would land back on the beam or if Mom would have to catch her. When she glanced at her mother, she tilted to the left and then swayed to the right. She tried to regain her balance but toppled to the floor.

“Every time I lose my focus, I get totally off track,” Alisha said. “I wish I could keep my eyes from wandering.”

“Don’t we all,” Mom agreed. Alisha stepped onto the beam again, wondering just what Mom meant. After all, she was the only one on the balance beam. “We need to practice two types of balance—one for gymnastics and one for life,” continued Mom. “For example, I recently heard someone say, ‘I’m really worried about my math test. I studied hard, and I prayed that I would remember the facts, but what if I fail?’”

Recognizing her own words from that morning, Alisha turned and looked at Mom—and fell from the beam. “Oops!” exclaimed Alisha, hopping back up.

“‘I know I should read my Bible, but there’s a really good show on TV tonight,’” murmured Mom softly.

This time, Alisha recognized her thoughts, if not her actual words. She turned toward the clock to see if it was time for the TV program. “Oops!” she said, as her feet once again slipped off the balance beam.

“Just like losing focus means you lose your step on the balance beam, losing a dedicated focus on God allows us to become easily distracted and lose our step from the peaceful, right path God has for us,” Mom said.

How about you?

What draws your attention away from God? School activities? Friends? TV? These may all be fine, but they shouldn’t be the most important part of your life. Put God first—talking to him in prayer—and then carry thoughts of him into your other activities. Ask him to help you focus on him and live as you should.

Memorize:

“Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.” Proverbs 4:25