What do I write? How do I share what the Lord has been teaching me through the years? When I try to share, someone always seem to know more or understand more than I do. And why do they do this? Because they have been down a similar road. But they have yet to learn when to be quiet, which is really a true sign of wisdom and maturity. We all have in us a pride that wants us to be at least as good, as wise, and as knowledgeable as the next person, even if we know that we can only be good, wise, and knowledgeable as Christ lives His life through us. And that life can only come as we, in ourselves, realize we are not good, the only true wisdom there is comes from God, and that God has allowed us the knowledge that we do have. In short, until we realize we are sinners condemned, fools in the truest sense, and so ignorant of real truth that we are more stupid than the stupidest animal, we can never be good, wise, or knowledgeable. Christ is our example of goodness, wisdom, and knowledge. Many there are who claim to know the way, the truth, and the life, and yet know little of nothing of the Saviour. They teach us the way to live but, with a hypocrisy (recognized or unrecognized), know little of Jesus' ways. They teach us what is the truth in God's Word but know little of the True One. They teach us of how Christ lives in us (if we are saved) but know little of how to focus on the One Who is Life. Many are the ways of man to try to live a godly life. Some have many rules and regulations and authorities to make us feel that we are truly doing what God says. In reality they may be like the pharisees who truly believed their own teachings but could not recognize their Saviour. Some take a more liberal view in the name of the liberty that we have in Christ, only to ignore the Christ that they claim to have liberty in. I think most are between these two extremes, searching for truth but looking for some man (or woman) to guide them instead of focusing on the True Guide. Focusing on Christ is the essential ingredient for living a "lively" life. Focusing on Christ is a very personal thing. Whether it is focusing on Christ on the cross for salvation, focusing on Christ in obedience to Christ in water baptism because of the remission of sins, or focusing on Christ for guidance, growth, teaching, protection, power, answers to prayer, etc., it is all a one-on-one, Christ-and-me-alone situation. It is me alone focusing on Christ on the cross for salvation because I know that my sins were nailed to the cross with Christ. I know that I alone had to go to Christ and repent. I know that I alone had to obey Christ in water baptism to testify of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. I know that I alone had to focus on Christ for guidance, growth, teaching, protection, power, answers to prayer, etc. I alone had (and have) to focus on Christ. And Christ alone can perform salvation and growth in my life. Many speak of being active in church, so we try to be active when our real need is to focus on Christ so we will know when and where to be active- in AND out of the church building. Many say we need to be out witnessing when our need is to focus on Christ so He can guide us with His eye. Many will try to teach us how to live the Christian life when our need is to focus on Christ so that He can live His life through us, even though His life being lived through us may offend and even ridicule standards of others. Many will have certain expectations of us when our need from them is the grace, mercy, and love of the Saviour. We so often condemn pharisee-like people only to become what we hate. We so often condemn hypocrites with our own hypocrisy. We so need to focus on the Saviour. We so need to choose to sit at Jesus' feet like Mary. Mary was guided by Jesus' eye in the midst of a time when much work needed to be done for Jesus. And yet, all needs were met that day. We seem to hit all the peripherals but miss the Bull's-Eye. The Bull's-Eye is focusing on Jesus Christ. Or more aptly put, Jesus Christ is the Bull's-Eye.