Helpful filters
My twins were invited to a Holi festival with their friend this weekend. They were told to bring light-colored clothes that they didn't care about, because they'd be throwing the color powder. We decided to grab some clothes at the thrift store. Before going into the store (because I knew there would be a lot of possibilities), I set a few filters for us:
- White sweatshirts (girls' choice)
- Women's size S or M
- Orange tag (the color of the week with 50% off)
30 minutes later, we walked out with sweatshirts for both girls.
This outing could have took 2 hours as there were countless possibilities, but with the clear filters in place we stayed focused on our goal.
It got me thinking about the possibilities in our lives. Sometimes it might not seem like they're countless... but they really are. Just like at the thrift store, most of the possibilities are clearly not for us (there were some pretty creepy porcelain dolls on the shelves), but they are possibilities nonetheless.
Without goals and filters to lead us to those goals, we can go into perusal mode where we're entertained, but directionless. We pile our carts high with random interesting things, but the randomness leads to more randomness until we've been there all afternoon.
With filters, we might be entertained as we pass by the occasional random trinket, but we intentionally don't even bother with certain shelves or departments because we're focused on making our goal happen. We get what we came for much quicker because our energy and focus are streamlined.
We can do the same in our lives. We can be very specific about what we're here to do, and disregard the rest. Jesus had His eye single to the glory of God. We can do the same, and get clear with God on what we are working toward. This focus will help us use our energy and attention in a substantial way, rather than casually browsing.
Where can you use more filters? What will you do to commit to them and keep them in place?
