By Lindsay Christerson
Our attention is a zero-sum game. Just like hours in the day, when we invest our attention in something, that attention cannot be spent elsewhere. Businesses, public figures, companies, and non-profits are all very aware that your attention is limited and are not only vying to get our attention but are desperate to keep our attention. This goal has become increasingly difficult with seemingly unlimited amounts of consumable content from not only professionals making entertainment but every fellow user on your platform can provide information, a recommendation, or entertainment.
Our attention is the most valuable commodity on the planet. Views, clicks, likes, engagement, downloads, streams, shares, ratings, subscribers—all metrics that businesses will pay top dollar to earn.
“Meet Meta. Where attention becomes action.”
This was the theme of Meta platforms’ presentations at an industry conference this past spring. (Meta is the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.) They have figured out that the more of your attention they can hold, the more that content will shape you, guide you, and spur you to action. The metrics may be new, but the commodity is as old as time.
Since the Fall, our Creator has been beckoning us, calling our attention back to where it was meant to be. We are created to be in His presence and our attention rightly oriented to Him, His creation, and the efforts and relationships He has given us. Our sin is rooted in our constant twisting of these things from God toward ourselves.
“We become what we behold.”
—William Blake
The Lord knows that what we give our attention to shapes us, forms us, and even disciples us. Just as every human worships something, every human is discipled by something(s). We are being discipled by something or someone for some purpose through the content (books, music, movies, tv shows, news, emails, blogs, personalities, social media posts) we consume. Our Creator speaks to us through Scripture and through His Spirit, reminding us to renew, reorient, and replace what we are consuming with beholding that which is of Him. This is going to be a battle because our flesh wants to give attention to the shiny and new instead of beholding the story that has weathered every storm and is as old as time. We grant time to the loudest voice when most of time, it is in the quiet that we hear the Spirit’s voice.
“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”
Psalm 119:36-37 ESV“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 ESV
Behold is a verb with a simple meaning: see or observe. But the definition contains a caveat: (a thing or person, especially a remarkable or impressive one). It is used frequently in Scripture as an emphasis, as if they are pointing to the words to make sure you notice them or holding your face in their hands as you speak to make sure you actually hear them.
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV
In the above verse, “behold-ing” feels a little different. Instead of calling attention to something significant, the word evokes more. It is the Greek word katoptrizó which means “to show in a mirror, to make to reflect, to mirror.” So, in this verse the veil that has obscured God’s people from seeing the Lord has been lifted by the Spirit, and it is possible to behold God’s glory as if reflected in a mirror. As my spiritual eyes gaze on the Lord, I can see His glory echoed in myself to an ever-increasing degree.
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, it does not yet appear what we’re going to be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we will be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is”
1 John 3:2 ESV
This verse is amazing. We don’t know yet what we will be like when Christ comes back to dwell with us, but we know we will be re-made like Him. How? By beholding Him as He is. Beholding— just seeing the risen and returned Christ will be transformational to the final degree. What amazing news! He is going to accomplish this promise. What is true of Him will be true of us for eternity when we finally get to see Him as He truly is. We know the ending of this battle that we are still fighting. He will win it for us.
“And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’”
—Revelation 21:5 ESV
For now, in this temporal body, that which holds our attention transforms us. We become what we behold. So, the question that follows is who do we want to become? Is our attention reflecting that goal? Are we primarily being discipled into the image of Jesus or some other finite ideal? Are we subject to our Creator or to the attention-keeping algorithms and attention-capturing strategies that we walk through and navigate?
“We will not wake up ten years from now and find we have passively taken on the character of God.”
—Jen Wilkin
Listen, I know we need some downtime; we are finite creatures on overload. Balance is needed, and there are so many different seasons of life that feel like we have no control over what needs our attention. Here are a few ways, during different phases, that I have felt personally convicted to redeem my attention for the Lord. I want to reiterate—these are personal convictions, not even suggestions unless the Spirit stirs in you to do likewise.
There were years as a pre-school mom that I was ALWAYS driving. I cannot count the hours. 80% of my weekdays between 8 and 2 PM were hauling my minivan up and down 141. The Lord gave me podcasts. So many podcasts, it felt like I was getting a degree learning about theology and learning from other people’s walks with the Lord. It is no substitute for my own study and involvement in the church, but it was a marvelous way to redeem the time.
I love taking hot baths at night. It is my primary “me” time. I remember after I finished binge watching a show (likely The Great British Baking Show) and aimlessly searching for another I heard the still small voice beckoning me to read. I have a stack of books I want to read, but aside from my time with the Lord and preparing for discipleship, I never sit down to read them, so I felt the Lord prompting me for the first half of my bath—until my attention is drifting so much that it is unproductive—to read. Give Him that time first. Since then, some of my best ideas, connecting theological concepts, creative ideation, (finally finishing this blog), and reading some of the most impactful books, have come from giving that time back to the Lord.
These days, when I am driving (clocking far less miles) I feel the Lord prompting me to listen to worship music more than anything else. I am probably well on my way to becoming that old church lady who doesn’t know any of “this popular rock music,” but most of the time I listen to the same songs over and over, most likely by Shane and Shane (or Bethany Bernard who is married to one of the Shanes). More often than not, these musicians take Bible verses and make them into songs because their goal is to sing songs that make the scriptures dwell in our hearts richly (Colossians 3:16), and that is what I find happens when I listen. The eternal truth of the Scripture melodically makes its way into my heart, and I am beholding the one true God right there at McGinnis Ferry and 141.
One such song is “All Creatures (Sing the Harmony)” from their most recent album, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. You likely know most of the song, but there is a refrain where they added these lyrics:
“Every mountain sing high
Every Valley sing low
And everything in between sing the harmony.”
It is repeated over and over and as it is I am emerged in the truth: Everything. Every. Thing. Behold your Creator— if you are a creature, He is your Creator— and reflect back to him the glory you behold in harmony with every other thing He has created, as you were created to do. Finally the repetition culminates with:
“Let all things their creator bless,
and worship him in humbleness
Oh praise him, Hallelujah”
While this blog idea was rolling around in my head, and as I was worshipping to this song, it struck me anew: we are the only creatures that have the audacity to give our attention to anything but our Creator. All creation groans to be remade, if we don’t praise Him the rocks will cry out, creation is the evidence that there is a God who designed, created, and holds it all together. We are the only creatures that He made to enjoy His love as His Son does, and the only creatures who reject it.
We are indeed fighting a battle over our attention that feels daunting and may feel like we are losing minute to minute. But we know how the story ends, He has already won. He will make us into the image of our older brother, the firstborn of the new creation, and the battle will be over. The already, but not yet.
I pray our ministry, and our presence on social media, serves you as a reminder to behold. To turn your eyes back to Jesus, to remember to moderate your time and give ever-increasing amounts attention to the one who deserves it.
Keep seeking to redeem your attention and fighting to behold.
