Coastland Distinctives - Learning to Notice Others

When he was asked what was the most important of the commands, Jesus said we are to "Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength… and our neighbor as ourselves…" 

A way of capturing Jesus’ call to live in constant love of God and our neighbor is to ask, ‘What is the beginning of loving God and others?’  Jesus models in each of his encounters with people that the beginning of love is the simple act of noticing.  A noticing heart is one that lays its own agenda aside in order to pick up on what is going on with another’s situation.  That point of noticing, affirms that others have something of great value that is worth our dedicated attention.

If we are to ever notice anyone at anytime, we must lay down our lives and agendas.

As we notice what is going on with those around us, we begin to get a glimpse of what God is likely up to with that person. 

The beginning of the love Jesus spoke of is living a "noticing life" and then acting on that noticing in order to lessen the pain in others.