KING SOLOMON’S MINES – FATAL DISTRACTIONS

by | Mar 9, 2023 | 2015 | 0 comments

The cinema is full. You are seated. Everyone around you is relaxed. Some are chatting.

Some are munching on popcorn. The movie is about to begin. But first, a commercial. A driver is on a rural road. You are the driver. Suddenly everyone’s cell phone in the theatre receives a new text message. Everyone reaches for their device, taking their eyes off the screen/road for a second. There is a loud noise and instantly the movie screen is a crash scene. People gasp. You are shocked. The screen goes white and reads: “Mobile use is now the leading cause of death behind the wheel. A reminder to keep your eyes on the road.”

“Keep your eyes on the road.” Wise Solomon said that too – thousands of years before cell phones: “Keep your eyes straight ahead, ignore all sideshow distractions” (Proverbs 4:25 – MSG) and “A discerning man keeps wisdom in view but the mind of a fool wanders everywhere” (Proverbs 17:24 -NCV). The wise person, he says, concentrates on the path of wisdom but the fool is easily distracted. Which one are you? Is there someone or something grabbing your attention and drawing you away from your purpose in life? Is it the latest craze or quick fix? Is it something on the Internet? Is it a project, then another?

Many scriptures admonish us to focus on the essentials and say ‘no’ to the distractions. In the well-loved story of Mary and Martha, Mary sat and listened to Jesus, but Martha was angry because she was left with all the work in the kitchen. Jesus gently corrected her: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things.” Martha had been ‘distracted by all the preparations that had to be made’ (Luke 10:38-41).

Distractions come in all shapes and sizes and therefore are an ever-present struggle. Consider the following:

Temptation

It seems that the temptation to be distracted is harder to resist today than ever before. Pornography, for example, is far more easily accessible than in the past. But anything that ignites our desires and passions to our detriment is a distraction which could fracture our lives. What is it that has the potential to bring you to ruin if you give in to its unhealthy attraction?  Is it some form of addiction, sex, the lust for power, influence, self-importance or selfish ambition? We cannot ‘serve two masters’ (Matthew 6:24). 

Religious lies

A popular belief is that success in our church and ‘spiritual’ life comes by commitment and hard work. If we produce and perform, if we try harder, if we just read our Bible enough, pray enough, do enough evangelistic outreach – we will be successful. But we will be disappointed. Our lives will be wrapped up in rules and routine and we will be distracted because we will worry whether we have done enough.

Prophecy

Christians can become obsessed in what is called prophecy. The Great Tribulation and the anti-Christ are popular subjects. Christians have spent the last 2000 years guessing the year and even the very date of the Second Coming of Jesus. Max Lucado describes Matthew 24 ‘as the neighbourhood hangout for end-times fanatics. The camping ground for eschatological mathematicians and last-days prophets.’ Concerning Christ’s return he writes; Christ “hasn’t chosen to give us that date, so time spent speculating is time poorly used.”1 Biblical prophecies of Jesus are awe-inspiring but when we apply so-called prophecies to the Middle East and other nations we easily become side-tracked from our purpose.

The Past and the Future

Do you often say “If only….” or “I should have….”? When we don’t deal with worries, failures and regrets they become distractions that handicap us and can lead to discouragement and depression. Satan will drop lies into our perceptions of the past – our abuse or pain or shame – and magnify them, causing us to live in the past and drive us in the present. If we allow ourselves to be distracted with regrets over yesterday and worries over what might happen tomorrow, we will have no today in which to live.

How do we keep ourselves from being distracted? God wants you to be like Jesus and have a focused heart. The main focus of Jesus was not His miracles or teaching. It was His relationship with His Father – so much so He would get up early to be with Him. Paul wrote; “Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else…..I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on….” (Philippians 3:8,13,14 – NLT).

You were created for a purpose. The purpose of your life is to revel in God’s love, respond to His love and give away His love to others. Focusing is not just about saying ‘no’ to distractions but your ‘no’ is saying ‘yes’ to your purpose. But this is not about self-discipline or will power. We alone do not have the strength to focus – but we can do all things through Him who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). Fix your eyes on Jesus. He will enable you to go forward in life.

The story of Mary and Martha illustrates where our focus should be. Mary seized an eternal moment while Martha was seized by momentary distractions. Jesus said “Mary has made the right choice.” We have a choice. Keep your eyes on the road.

A Prayer

“Father, too often you don’t find me at the feet of Jesus. You find me in the kitchen. I am so easily distracted. I don’t know why I find so many other things more interesting and attractive. I am sorry. Help me to understand how much you want to spend time with me. Holy Spirit lead me into all truth and show me how to get my mind off the distractions and enable me to focus on you. Bring me out of the kitchen and let me come and sit at your feet. I surrender to you.”

1 Max Lucado; And the Angels were Silent.

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