Distracted - Martin Wiles

But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. Luke 10:40 NLT

Beauty surrounded them, but they didn’t see it.

My wife and I were keeping our daughter’s two sons while she was on a four-day cruise. Needing to get them some fresh air, we decided to take them to Star Fort, a nearby national historic site. A paved trail winds through woods and the battlefield and would give the boys enough space to romp and roam, while learning about history and nature at the same time.

After our walk, we rested at the picnic area. The boys played with the two toys they had brought along. I decided to re-walk the trail while they rested—only this time I’d do it in quiet. As I strolled along, I passed a number of individuals.

With the exception of two of the people I passed, they all had one thing in common: heads tilted downward. They didn’t even look up when I passed them so I could speak to them. And I didn’t force a “Hello” since I didn’t want to interrupt what they were doing.

What interested them so much was a smartphone. I wondered why they decided to take a trip into nature if they didn’t plan to enjoy it. Beauty and history surrounded them, but a device distracted them.

Mary didn’t have a device, but something did distract her. She, her sister, and her brother were good friends of Jesus. During one of His visits, Mary sat at His feet, listening to Him talk. Martha, on the other hand, let preparing the meal distract her. When she complained to Jesus about her sister’s inconsideration, Jesus told her Mary had chosen the more important thing.

Martha reminds me of my mother in the days when she cooked family meals. The preparation and serving distracted her too. Most of the family had finished eating before she ever sat to join us in conversation. She mimicked her mother, who did the same.

Getting distracted by unimportant things in life comes easily if we don’t intentionally set priorities and goals. Technology makes getting distracted even easier, but distractions happened long before the new inventions and the busyness of life they have brought.

Loving God solely and our neighbors unconditionally have always been the greatest priorities. Anything that prevents doing so is classified a distraction and will lead us to look in the wrong directions and miss out on the best in life.

Don’t let distractions keep you from enjoying the most important things in life.

Prayer: Father, keep us focused on the most important things so distractions won’t steal our focus.

Tweetable: What things distract you and why?

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