My husband and I volunteer in our church’s library on a monthly basis, shelving returned books and helping readers find and check out new ones.
This past week something caught my eye—it wasn’t really a book; it was a small three-ring binder filled with old newspaper and magazine clippings and yellowed loose-leaf sheets typed on an ancient manual typewriter.
I picked it up and started leafing through the pages. They were organized by topics and in some places handwritten notes were inserted. I quickly became fascinated with this collection of wisdom and inspiration. I couldn’t help wondering who compiled this notebook and how it was used.
I didn’t have time to read every page, but one that particularly arrested my attention was titled Seven Looks (no author or source given).
LOOK BACK: remember God’s goodness. “There has not failed one word of all His good promises.” 1Kings 8:56
LOOK UP: in praise. “Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name.” Psalm 103:1
LOOK DOWN: in humility and caution. “Let him that thinketh he stands take heed lest he fall.” 1 Cor. 10:12
LOOK FORWARD: in confidence and in hope. “For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” 2 Tim. 1:12
LOOK WITHIN: daily, thoroughly. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
LOOK AROUND: vigilantly. “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God.” Hebrews 12:15
LOOK UNTO JESUS: always. “Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is none else.” Isaiah 45: 22
In a modern society where we are constantly bombarded with demands for our attention, these timeless reminders of where to place our focus guarantee eternal success and happiness.
