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About Jesus - Steve (Stephen) Sweetman Awareness
I define awareness as
being conscious of things and situations that surround us.
Awareness enables us to be attentive to the reality of these things and
situations that result in effective decisions and a productive life. Some
of us appear to be predisposed to a measure of inherent awareness
capabilities, but for most, it's a learned skill. Being legally blind from
birth,
awareness is very important for me. Since
I'm not always aware of what others may see, I am forced to cultivate
certain skills that helps make up for my deficiency.
I cross a street, for example, mostly by listening while my brain
is seriously processing when and where it's safe to cross.
This is a process that takes considerable thought and time long
before I step off the sidewalk. It's
often hindered by a noisy lawnmower or wind blowing by my ears that dulls
the sound of my surroundings. This
exercising of awareness in varying formats is my daily life, and has been
from an early age. Cultivating awareness is
important for all aspects of a productive life, especially a productive
Christian life. We must be
aware of Jesus' presence, His written Word, His calling on our lives, His
placement of us in the local church, and so much more.
Awareness of these things is a skill that is learned and cultivated
over time, and in Christian terms is only possible when God's Spirit is
involved in the process. Remember,
we cannot even see or be aware of God's kingdom without being born again
of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3 - 5).
John 14:20 states that
the disciples would receive the Spirit of Truth whereby they would "realize"
(NIV) that Jesus was in the Father, they in Jesus, and Jesus in
them. The word
"realize" is translated from the Greek verb
"ginosko," meaning to know, to perceive or to become aware. Due
to this middle voice Greek verb, I suggest this realization or awareness
is a cooperative process between Jesus and us, His disciples.
Enhanced awareness can
be a result of listening and not by talking, as James 1:19 hints at.
When we listen we hear with the hope of learning what we need to
know and be aware of. It is
also enhanced when we set aside ourselves so we can be aware of what
exists beyond ourselves. It's
heightened when we get rid of the cultural noise that surrounds us so we
can be aware of what lies beyond the noise.
It's intensified when we clean up our distracting mental clutter so
we can be clear-minded and aware of the important issues of life.
I am sure you can add
more ways to improve our ability to be aware of the important things and
surroundings of life. Obviously, the initial step of awareness is
being aware of your need to be aware. It is foundational to making effective decisions that lead
to a productive life. Postscript To be clear, when I
cross a street I do look hard with my eyes, but if I had to depend solely
on my eyes to cross, I'd be taking a dangerous chance.
God forbid that I ever lose my ability to hear.
Scripture
References John 3: and 5 "Jesus replied, 'Very
truly I tell you, no one can see the John 14:20 "On
that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I
am in you." James 1:19
"My dear brothers
and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow
to speak and slow to become angry,"
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