Good Things that Distract
By Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
Ever get distracted? It seems easy at times, doesn’t it? There are so many things that can distract us in this day and age.
Social media certainly seems to sap people’s time. Social media arguments and discussions can be the worst when it comes to taking our time.
Some people have hobbies that take over their lives. Others have family drama that can take every waking moment to deal with. Sometimes the things that take over our lives are actually good things and even necessary things. But in the end, they take over our lives. There are in our world infinite distractions.
In the Bible there is a great story about good things that distract.
Jesus was at Martha and Mary’s house. Many people were there as Jesus was teaching and sharing the good news of the gospel.
Mary was intently listening. Martha, however, was busy.
She was doing many good things. She was keeping the guests full of good food. She was making sure that everyone had enough to drink. She was the consummate host. She did many good things and she was incredibly busy while doing all those good things.
She was also busy being upset at her sister. She wanted help and she wanted Jesus to make her get busy. You know the story.
Jesus responded:
Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
There are many things in this world that distract us: Good things, hobbies, habits, bad things. In fact there are more things that we can count that can distract us from spending time with Jesus and with following what he wants us to do.
Ellen White writes:
Satan invents unnumbered schemes to occupy our minds that they may not dwell upon the very work with which we ought to be acquainted.
Yes we need to care for people, serve people, make impacts in our communities. But the most important thing in our life is sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning all we can of Him. All the rest will come out of that daily walk with God.
Sit at the feet of Jesus today and learn of Him.