Noticing the Color Purple

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes… because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” - Luke 19:41-42, 44

Jesus weeps because people aren’t noticing where God is showing up in their lives. Jesus sees the sort of small mindedness that leads to destruction that comes from not paying attention to what really matters most in life. How are you at this?

The famous novel The Color Purple gets its title from this short passage where the unlikely sage in the story is helping the main character live a more abundant life, pointing out all the ways God has been at work in her life.

I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. People think pleasing God is all God cares about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.

Alice Walker, The Color Purple

How might you know if you are missing out on what God is up to in your life? Perhaps it’s as simple as the colors of the flowers in your neighbor’s yard or it’s as deep as God’s plan for your life, but either way it seems like today would be a good day to pay attention.

Use this simple exercise sometime today to help you pay attention to what God is up to in your life - a 10 minute walk around the block (or some other break like that in your day) to reconnect with your own heart and with God’s heart.