Hello 

Does money grow on trees? Even if it did, many of us might not notice it. That's the conclusion from a team of researchers who were studying something called "inattentional blindness." According to the study, in-attentional blindness occurs when "people fail to become aware of objects unrelated to their current task," even when those objects are "interesting or surprising."

Inspired by an old YouTube video, two researchers from Western Washington University clipped money on a tree and then observed the reaction of the passersby. The branch of the tree with the money was bent so that it hung over the path at head height. So the unwitting participants in the study practically bonked their heads on the tree money.

Here are the results: overall, 396 people were observed walking down the path. Only 12 people failed to see and avoid the tree, but most people failed to see the money in the tree. And a whopping 94 percent of people on a cell phone were so distracted that they didn't spot the money. The authors of the study ended the study with a rather obvious but important conclusion: "Becoming aware of an object is generally assumed to require focused attention."*

Does this have spiritual ramifications?  I believe that it could!  Is it possible that we get so busy with the daily tasks that we have to perform, that we often disregard the obvious truths that God wants us to see?  Staying close to Jesus takes intentional focus...and He can help us to maintain the focus that we need each day.  

Life gets so busy sometimes, that we lose our focus on the fact that God must be at the center  of it all.  

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word 

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