Stay

Have you ever read a passage of scripture, in a casual sort of way, and have a phrase just jump out at you and say something it has never said before?

One of the lectionary readings for last week was Mark 6:1-13. Verse 10 caught my attention:

He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.

When I read that phrase last week, it said to me, "Focus." Stay with something until you finish it. Listen. Focus on what is being said to you, blocking out distractions. Give what is in front of you your attention.

Do I do that? Not nearly as often as I should. I'm sure people notice when my attention wanders, because I notice it when other people's attention wanders. I know how it feels, and I need to remember to give other people the grace of my focus.

Stay until you are finished.