Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Being noticed

I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).

People will do almost anything for attention. Some try to impress with their looks. Others try to impress with their education or athletic ability. Some beg for attention by telling jokes. Others beg for attention by giving compliments and gifts. Some will do almost anything to win your approval. Others will force you to notice them by being rude or disruptive.

It used to be said that ‘no one likes a showoff’, but that isn’t true any more. These days everyone wants to noticed. There is no shortage of people waiting to sing karaoke or ride a mechanical bull. Social networking websites are filled with personal information and videoclips of ordinary people looking for attention. Folks on reality TV frequently embarrass themselves by what they say or how they act.

Brothers and sisters compete with each other for a parent’s attention. Teenagers compete among themselves to be the most popular. Employees compete to win the notice of upper management. Wherever people gather, there is competition for attention. This also applies to people who are shy; although they may be unsure of themselves, they ache inwardly from not being noticed.

Human beings need love to be emotionally healthy. If no one is paying attention to us, we feel as if we’re not loved. Because we hunger for affection, we say and do all kinds of things to get noticed. But sometimes we confuse attention for love.

If someone loves you, you’ll get their attention. But you can also get attention from someone who hates you, or sees you only as an interesting freak. There are men and women who stay in abusive relationships because they have confused attention with love. There are kids who act up in school because they are tired of being ignored. There are athletes, musicians, and actors who feel loved because the paparazzi follow them everywhere. They all get attention, but that attention has nothing to do with being loved.

Jesus said, the very hairs of your head are all numbered (Matthew 10:30). You don’t have to force people to notice you; you don’t have to stay in an abusive relationship in order to get attention. Jesus died to make you His; you are precious to Him. He watches over you every day. Jesus loves you, and He always has time for you.

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