YOU THINK DISTRACTED DRIVING IS BAD? CONSIDER THIS...

2 PETER 3:13,14 … We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

This past week the highly acclaimed business guru, John Maxwell, emailed an invitation to watch a video on “Successful Thinking.”  The theme of this segment was “Successful thinkers are focused thinkers.”  I took the bait and listened to what he had to say.

I learned great things like, “unsuccessful people go in too many directions, successful people focus on the main thing.”  Wow!  What a revelation.  Actually there were some good reminders in Maxwell’s presentation.  “Believe while others are doubting.  Plan while other playing. Study while others are sleeping. Begin while other procrastinate. Save while others are wasting.  Smile while others are frowning. Persist while others are quitting.”

As Maxwell stressed the importance of focus, I began to think about our focus on faith.  There are so many distractions to the life of faith. Tim Challies from Toronto is right.  “If we are a distracted people, a distracted society, it stands to reason that we would also be a distracted church, a church with a diminished ability to think deeply, to cultivate concentration, to emphasize slow, deliberate, thoughtful meditation.” 

I’m thinking Tony Reinke is seeing the same thing that I’m seeing, “Our spiritual condition is one of having spiritual ADD...We are more easily distracted from the important issues of our lives moment by moment.”

So at the precise moment when we ought to be looking up to the Savior, we’re staring down a screen.  When we are only a heartbeat away from eternity, we’re lost in the world of “Beats.”  While godlessness increases around us, godliness is ignored or rejected within us.  If the devil can’t defeat us, he will distract us.

In the last chapter of his last letter to the Church, the Apostle Peter urged,  “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”  2 Peter 3:14.

This diligence, or focus, is our desperate need.  Jesus reproved the busyness of Martha and blessed her Christ-focused sister Mary saying, “She hath chosen the better part.” 

Distraction leads us to shallow thinking, and shallow thinking produces shallow living.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the Light of His glory and grace!”