Five steps to becoming an eye catcher
gregg barbour. DASH. 12/12/03
What is an eye catcher?
An Eye Catcher is someone who turns heads and makes a difference wherever they are and wherever they go.
This lesson could be a series of five devotions all bundled together evolving to create the characteristics of an Eye Catcher. The eye catcher is one who desires to make a difference in their school, at their job, at their home, at their church, with their friends…work or play, the eye catcher strives to make a difference, to be the difference, to stick out like a sore thumb.
Eye catchers spend time with Jesus- Acts 3:1-10; 4:8-13 (NIV, and the Message)
Those men recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus. The message says “they couldn’t take their eyes of of them—Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves.” When we spend time in the presence of Jesus, people WILL notice. There will be a change in our attitudes, our ways of thinking, our character will change, and we’ll be different people. Jesus has the capacity to make us stronger, smarter, wiser, bolder, and more courageous. He also gives us the same power that He possessed when we call on His name.
Illus.-The Mask
Eye catchers don’t wear Masks-Matt. 22:27-28 (NIV, and the Message)
Ok, the guy said that all people wear masks…so who are you really? Who are you in front of your friends? Who are you in front of your classmates? Your co-workers? Your Parents??
Your parents know the real you…who you are around your parents says a lot about who you really are. Think about it. These are the people that you are most comfortable with, and you will act almost any way you can think of around them. Some of you are mean to your parents, you have temper tantrums, and scream and yell when you don’t get your way, some of you think you ARE your parents, some of you got in an argument today with your folks. It’s sad…that’s who we really are, that’s the real us?!?! Let’s face it…some of our parents think we’re the ANTI-CHRIST!
Some people have masks for different occasions. It’s valentine’s day, where’s my love mask? It’s Easter, where’s my “I love Jesus, he’s risen” mask? It’s almost Christmas, where’s my “happy birthday jesus, I gotta be joyful all month long” mask? It’s my birthday, where’s my “I’m so happy I’m getting all these presents” mask! Some of us don’t even like the presents we get! I failed a test…where’s my “I hate school and I wanna die” mask? Don’t be wishy washy guys, don’t have circumstantial faith. If you’ve got Jesus in your heart, let your face know!! Be HAPPY!
Matthew 23:27-28, “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You’re like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright ,but six feet down it’s all rotting bones and worm eaten flesh. People look at you and think you’re saints, but beneath the skin you’re total frauds.”
Eye catchers don’t wear masks. People notice they are different. They aren’t out to please who they are with, but they aim to please the one that created them. Integrity is who you are when nobody is looking. Eye catchers are men and women of integrity. They are the same person all the time. Don’t be a hypocrite, a beautiful grave on the outside, but dirty rotten flesh on the inside. Be an eye catcher, throw away your masks!
Eye catchers always try to do the right thing-Phil. 1:27 (NIV and the Message)
No matter what, they eye catcher will always try to do the right thing, because he realizes that somebody is always watching. You can’t afford to make a mistake. There’s no excuse that you can tell your non-Christian friend when you make a huge boo-boo that will make him forget you messed up. He will always remember, and it may keep him from becoming a Christian. Let’s face it, nobody’s perfect, but just because you mess up, doesn’t mean you give up! On the other hand, if you are constantly doing the WRONG thing and not feeling the least bit guilty or convicted about it, then you need to examine your faith. Chances are, you aren’t saved, and you’re headed straight to hell. God asks us to try to do the right thing. Phil. 1:27 says, “meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the message of Christ.” Be a credit to the message, not a deduction. You’ve heard, “actions speak louder than words.” It’s the truth. Your character and actions should always say, I’m a Christian, in order to build up the kingdom of God, to make a difference. People say all the time that they believe in God, and that they’re a Christian, but half the time, their actions don’t show it. I used to work with a guy at chili’s in SC who would talk about God and going to church around me because he knew I was a Christian. He would tell me, “God’s not gonna send me to hell if I have one beer.” And he’s right, God won’t send him to hell if he has one beer, but God certainly isn’t happy with him living a life that displeases him. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, just like walking into mcdonald’s doesn’t make you a Chicken McNugget. You gotta live the life. Here’s the bottom line, to be an eye catcher, you gotta do the right thing.
Illus. THE LORD OF THE RINGS (fellowship of the ring)
Eye catchers leave the past behind¬-Phil. 3:13-14 (NIV)
Man, I love this clip. I was watching this movie for the second time, and I thought, boy, this is just how we are with God. We wanna hold on to our past, we want to hold on to our sin, even when God asks us to leave it behind. Finally, God has to yell to get our attention, and tell us he only wants to help, then we’ll run and embrace him, and tell him that he’s right, that we Should in fact leave it behind..and as we’re walking out the door, we don’t even realize we never let go of it…it’s still in our pocket..we must drop it and walk away and leave it with the MASTER.
Phil. 3:13-14 says, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Eye catchers always get up when they fall down, because there is a finish line, a goal, the mark for which we strive. No matter what, though, an eye catcher will leave his past behind, and never look back, or take up his old habits. He is constantly growing in his relationship with Christ, getting stronger, getting closer to the finish line, to his goal. Paul is saying in these Scriptures, I don’t have it made, I’m not there yet but there is One thing I do. I keep my focus on what is ahead. I’m no expert, but I’ve got my eye on the goal. The goal is Jesus, I’m off and running and I’m not turning back.
Eye Catchers recognize the D.A.’s –Eph 2:10
Everything is D.A. God has set everything up for you from the beginning of time. He knows who he wants you to talk to. He knows the good works he wants you to do. He knows the opportunities that await you in your school, on your job, on the football field, on the court, in the locker room, out with the girls…whatever it is, he set it up for you to be an eye catcher, to make a difference. The eye catcher will recognize that everything is divine appointment, that God has plans, and that His plan is always for His glory. He wants us to reach people, and the best way to do that is to be an eye catcher and recognize our D.A.’s Live life with no regrets. Don’t regret a missed opportunity, don’t regret making a mistake. No Regrets!!
Everybody has seen that new ketchup right…the purple, or the green? Some people are actually scared to eat it, even though it tastes just like Ketchup. People are scared of change, they are scared of something different, something new. They don’t even care if it’s basically the same old thing. They think it will leave a dirty rotten taste in their mouth b/c it looks like boogers or puke, but the truth is..it’s the same product. It tastes the same. It’s really Ketchup. You see, we’ve got to be the kind of Christians that stick out, that look different…that catch people’s eyes. When it’s all said and done, we would still taste like a Christian, we would still hold the beliefs of a Christian, it’s just that we wouldn’t be scared to be different, or scared of change, or scared to be looked at, made fun of, or even thought of as weird. We should be out to make a difference, and though that, people will pay attention. People WILL notice when we spend time with Jesus, when we throw away our Masks, when we always try to do the right thing, when we leave the past behind, and when we recognize the divine appointments. These five characteristics make up what I feel to be the Eye CATCHER. The most unique person on the campus of your school is not the jock, or the head cheerleader, the most unique person at your school is not the know-it-all, or class president, it’s not Mr. Personality, or Ms. I get what I want when I want it. The absolute most unique person in your school is the Eye Catcher. Turn heads, make a difference, be unique, be an EYE CATCHER.
