Point to Ponder: Life is all about love.

Verse to Remember: “The entire law is summed up in a single command, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘” — Galatians 5:14 (NIV)

Question to Consider: Honestly, are relationships my first priority? How can I ensure they are?

[Read More] thoughts on Day 16 of Rick Warren‘s Purpose-Driven Life* including the farsightedness of love.

The reason today’s devotional is late is partly because I met a friend for breakfast, but mostly because I could not see very well later in the day. After 25 years of glasses I decided to get Lasik, shortly after my 38th birthday (last October). The “price” of Lasik is that — even though it cures myopia (near-sightedness) and astigmatism, it can accelerate or aggravate far-sightedness (hyperopia). Yesterday was (literally!) a blur, and even today it is a challenge for me to read what I’m typing — because I haven’t yet gone for my final exam and gotten reading glasses (though thank goodness for Mac accessibility!).

However, my first reaction this morning was, “So this is what the world looks like.” People and reality are far clearer than my sometimes tinted, often dirty glasses presented them. The price, though, is that words in my books and computer are far more difficult to parse.

Which is an an appropriate segue for today’s lesson about how relationships are more important than work and self-centered achievement. Rick drives home the point under three headings:

He mentions an insight we marketing types have been discussing lately, which is that ‘focused attention” is the scarcest and most precious gift we have to give. Certainly I have found that true in my marriage (alas, mostly by my poor practice of it). In many ways, my decision to get Lasik was precisely to “shift my focus” off interaction with words to interacting with people. Of course the ultimately changes has to happen in my heart, not my eyes. But it is a start.

Prayer: God, today is the first day of the rest of my life. Help me to build it around loving others. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.