I’m Focused Man!
Minister Johnathan H. Blue
At maybe 9 or 10, I finally had the freedom to explore music the way I wanted to. I finally had my own room and I could pretty much listen to what I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted. In doing so , I came across one of my all time favorite tracks and artists. Tell me if you recognize this instrumental…
https://youtu.be/WrE6ieEnUBo?si=rYVST5YbrZDYY8Vs
To those who know the song, we know that Jay-Z starts the track with a prophetic declaration. Before the drums even come in he says: “I’m FOCUSED, Man! Tell Scott to come holla at me man!”
Now, you can feel however you want to about this brother, that’s your prerogative. What we can’t do is say the man was lying. From well-over 100 million records sold, to fashion lines, record labels, sports agency, to his high-profile marriage, to eventually climbing on the Forbes list…we can say whatever we want, but we cannot say the man was lying about him being focused on what he wanted.
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
We have already discovered that at this exact moment, everything we have achieved or acquired is because of God’s favor over our lives AND our ability to FOCUS. Therefore, to state the opposite: everything we have not achieved or acquired in this life is because of God’s favor over your life AND our INABILITY to focus.
In the same way that tired people need rest, distracted people need focus.
It’s not that we aren’t smart enough, gifted enough, connected enough, educated enough or rich enough…but that we aren’t FOCUSED enough.
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
Therefore, the key to living a full, blessed and abundant life is in understanding that we must continue to learn and grow to master our ability to focus. We do this by controlling our attention.
A lot of us , myself especially, suffer from cognitive dissonance.
By a show of hands, is anyone in the room familiar with the term “Cognitive Dissonance”
Cognitive Dissonance is what the Bible refers to as Hypocrisy. In other words, we either say or do what we don’t believe.
Consider the following examples. If I’m on your toes, say ouch:
- I attend church regularly and have professed a commitment to living a holy life, yet I find myself repeatedly engaging in behaviors I know are sinful (ie – substance abuse or inappropriate relationships).
- I believe in the importance of honesty and integrity, yet I often lie or cheat to fit in with my friends or to gain approval.
- I value the principle of family being a priority and I often speak about the importance of spending quality time with my children, yet I consistently choose to work late hours, which causes me to miss important family events and activities.
- I talk about the importance of leading my family in faith and prayer but seldom engage in family devotions or spiritual discussions at home.
- I believe in the biblical teaching of generosity and helping those in need but find it hard to give to charity or assist others because I prioritize my own financial security instead.
- I teach others about the importance of forgiveness, as Christ forgave us, but I hold onto old grudges and refuse to reconcile with my estranged family members or friends.
- I believe in respecting others, but I often find myself speaking negatively or gossiping about them to friends or family.
- I profess to trust in God’s plan for my life and relationships, yet I try to control every aspect of my significant other’s actions or decisions because I secretly struggle to let go and have faith.
These examples highlight the tension between beliefs and actions, which is the essence of cognitive dissonance. Recognizing these inconsistencies is the first step toward realigning our actions with our professed beliefs, thus leading to a more focused and harmonious life.
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
According to Romans 10:9-10 NLT
“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”
We must realize that Cognitive Dissonance affects our mental, physical , emotional and spiritual health.
There is a huge mental health crisis in our community and our churches because we are saying things with our mouths that we don’t believe in our hearts.
Proverbs 23:7 KJV tells us:
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:“
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
The thought that we can’t afford to ignore is that BECOMING IS A PROCESS.
What do you mean, “Becoming is a process.” Becoming what? Becoming whatever God has called you to be.
To quote Pastor Michael McClure, Sr.:
My heart has changed. My mind is changing. My body is waiting on change.
Because of our troubled pasts, we’ve conditioned our hearts not to believe what’s coming out of our mouths.
We’re speaking things in faith without the spiritual confidence to see them come to pass.
Because of the tension that Cognitive Dissonance creates between our words and actions, our futures are held hostage by our past.
James 1:8 KJV says:
“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
Therefore, if our minds and our hearts aren’t on the same page, our mouths won’t know what to say.
Instead of cognitive dissonance, we need cognitive control.
What we need is willpower. What we need is the ability to stay focused in the face of temptation, distraction or adversity.
But because of cognitive dissonance, we have no willpower.
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
Being a focused man is essential for overcoming the pervasive challenge of cognitive dissonance and achieving the life of abundance and fulfillment that God has designed for us. To navigate this path of cognitive control, we must embrace the 5 tenets of focused manhood: Fatherhood, Ownership, Communication, Unity, and Service. These principles serve as a remedy to the destructive hypocrisy that arises when our actions fail to align with our beliefs. By internalizing and practicing these tenets, and mastering our ability to focus, we align our hearts and minds with our professed beliefs, empowering us to stay focused in the face of temptation, distraction, and adversity. This alignment not only enhances our willpower but also liberates us from the chains of our past, empowering us to live with the spiritual confidence to walk boldly into the future God has prepared for us.
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
Fatherhood
Fatherhood emphasizes our role in nurturing and leading our families with love and integrity, setting a strong spiritual example. Our greatest call in life as men is accepting the mantle of fatherhood. However we must accept the call of fatherhood vertically, in order to be of influence horizontally. In other words, it’s only in being able to recognize the Most High as our Heavenly Father and learning His heart, mind, will and ways that we can truly embrace ALL that earthly fatherhood entails. As men we are often caught up in the allure of being a GOOD father. When truthfully, none of us can understand what makes someone Good. It’s a shifting target with no rhyme nor reason. Instead, our focus should be on becoming GODLY fathers. Through reading the word of God, we can develop a frame of reference for what true fatherhood looks like, we can become examples of GODLY fathers here in our homes and communities, and we can even gain the courage to reconcile the differences between us and those who may have caused us trauma through their lack of fatherly awareness.
The best biblical reference for a summary of vertical and horizontal fatherhood, I found in Proverbs 22:23-25 NLT:
“Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old. Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment. The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy.”
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
Ownership
On the topic of ownership, Matthew 7:16-20 NLT says:
“You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”
Matthew 7:16-20 NLT
Ownership calls us to take responsibility for our actions, choices, and decisions, ensuring that we align them with our true values and beliefs. The time has passed for us to continue to allow others control our emotions, energies, and thoughts. We can no longer claim that there was nothing we could do about it. From this day forward, we have got to stand flat-footed, resting and assured the Creator of the Universe has given us dominion over our environment. It’s time out for matching energy…that’s child’s play. Moving forward, we are the thermostat that controls the temperature in the room…not the thermometer that responds to the temperature.
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
Communication
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Psalms 19:14 NLT
Communication highlights the importance of honest, open dialogue, both with God and with those around us, fostering trust and understanding. Scholars define communication as a series of two-way interactions where information is shared and ideas are ideas & thoughts are expressed for the purpose of achieving a common understanding. Therefore without a common understanding, we’re just talking to hear ourselves talk.
Instead we should follow Colossians 4:6 NLT:
“Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
Unity
Unity urges us to build and maintain harmonious relationships within our community, standing together in faith and purpose.
Psalms 133:1 says:
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!”
Therefore we should do our best to:
- Live in harmony with each other.
- Be humble enough to enjoy the company of ordinary people.
- Avoid becoming know-it-alls.
- Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
Service
Lastly, service reminds us that true greatness is found in serving others, mirroring Christ’s love through our actions. Service is a fundamental biblical principle, reflecting Christ’s own life and teachings. Acts of service not only bless those we help but also deepen our spiritual growth and strengthen our community, fulfilling God’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Galatians 5:13 NLT says:
“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”
Let me hear you say: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”
As we conclude this powerful conversation on being a focused man, let’s remember that our journey toward a life of purpose and fulfillment hinges on our ability to concentrate our efforts and align our actions with our beliefs. We’ve uncovered that our achievements are a testament to God’s favor and our ability to focus, while our shortcomings often stem from our inability to do so. The battle against cognitive dissonance—where our actions fail to reflect our beliefs—is one we must fight with unwavering determination and spiritual resolve.
By embracing the 5 tenets of focused manhood—Fatherhood, Ownership, Communication, Unity, and Service—we gain the tools to bridge the gap between our words and actions. Fatherhood calls us to nurture and lead with a godly example. Ownership demands we take full responsibility for our lives. Communication requires us to engage in honest and meaningful dialogue. Unity pushes us to stand together in faith and purpose, and Service compels us to reflect Christ’s love through our deeds.
In mastering our focus, we liberate ourselves from the chains of our past, aligning our hearts and minds with God’s will, and enabling our mouths to speak with authority and confidence. This is how we overcome the challenge of cognitive dissonance and live out the abundant life that God has designed for us.
So, as we move forward, let’s commit to mastering our focus, embodying these principles, and living each day with the spiritual confidence that our actions will reflect our deepest beliefs. Let us be men who are not just good, but godly; not just busy, but purposeful; not just active, but impactful.
Let me hear you say it one more time: “I’m FOCUSED, Man!”