“Give special attention to those who are in the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10 (NCV)
The Bible says in Galatians 6:10, “Give special attention to those who are in the family of believers” (NCV). So why do people in God’s family get special attention?
Because whatever you pay attention to is going to grow. If you pay attention to your garden, it’s going to grow. If you pay attention to your kids, they’re going to grow. If you pay attention to your marriage, it’s going to grow. If you pay attention to your work, it’s going to grow.
What is the greatest gift of love? It’s not diamonds, flowers, or chocolate. The greatest gift of love you can give is focused attention. You can affirm people just by looking them in the eye, which essentially tells them, “I value you. What you have to say is important to me, because you matter to me.” What people want more than anything else is focused attention. They want to know that their thoughts matter, that their lives matter, that they are valuable.
The core of relationships is not what we do for each other or the things we give to each other. The heart of relationships is how much of ourselves we give to each other.
I can’t tell you how many men I’ve talked to who said, “I don’t understand it. I provide everything my family needs. I give my wife everything she needs. I give my kids everything they need. What more do they want?”
They want you! They want your time. They want your attention. They want your focus. They want to know that you think they matter. Nothing can replace time. Kids don’t need things; they need time. Marriages need time, and friendships need time, and small groups need time.
Look for opportunities to show attention to the people in your life. That is the greatest gift of love you can give. But don’t just wait for it to happen; you have to make opportunities to show attention.
If you have to put it in your schedule, do it. If you have to give up Netflix time, do it. If it means putting off housework, do it. If you have to make sacrifices, do it. Do whatever you need to do to give your relationships attention. It is essential to their growth!
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Talk It Over
What kind of attention do you think God wants you to give to people outside the family of believers?
How can you give more attention and focus to the time that you spend with people?
What are the things that take time away from growing your relationships?
This devotional © 2023 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The core of relationships is not what we do for each other or the things we give to each other. It’s how much of ourselves we give to each other. Read more about the gift of attention in today’s #DailyHope devotional.
Rick Warren Bio
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, one of America’s largest and most influential churches. Pastor Rick is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book The Purpose Driven Church was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick created The PEACE Plan to address the five global giants—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. His Daily Hope broadcast and daily devotionals are offered around the world. You can listen to the broadcast or sign up for the free devotionals at PastorRick.com.
Tags
40 Days of Community – 2023, Community, Relationships, Love, Spiritual Growth, Choices, Margin, God’s Family, Galatians 6
Broadcast Series: 40 Days of Community – 2023
Sermon Series: 40 Days of Community
Sermon: 016204_How We Help Each Other Grow
