Living a Distracted Life
I watched these turkeys day after day walking through the yard pecking as they went. Something would move and catch their eye, and away they went after it.
Some days I feel like a turkey, pecking at things. Wandering around aimlessly, going in the direction of anything that catches my eye. There goes a bug – I’m after it! Now what was I doing? Oh yeah, pecking at things. Another bug – there I go again. Finding myself far from where I began. Being startled by noises and moving objects; moved by impulses. Living life distracted.
Its one thing to be a distracted turkey and quite another to be a distracted Christian. Yet it is easy in our Christian life to become distracted each day, even with good things. A good example of this is in Luke 10:40.
“But Martha was distracted with much serving…”
What? Serving? How can that be bad?
“But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.’” Luke 10:40
Martha’s request seemed reasonable, but not to Jesus.
You probably know the story. Martha was busy – Mary was not. Martha ran around doing this and that – Mary sat. It didn’t seem fair to me when I first read the story years ago, but since then I have come to understand a bit better what Jesus was trying to tell Martha that day. Martha was putting on a party for Jesus, but Jesus wanted Martha to know He was the party! Nothing more was needed.
Martha was distracted by things that seemed good at the time. After all, didn’t everyone need to eat? Shouldn’t there be a nice table spread with food to celebrate the guest of honor? What about a clean floor? Didn’t the bathroom need cleaning? I didn’t understand why Jesus didn’t make Mary help her at first. I felt bad for Martha, because I know what it’s like to be distracted.
God has given each of His children specific work to do, but never so much that they don’t have time to spend with Him.
While Martha prepared the bread to serve her guests, Mary was spending time with the Living Bread from heaven.
Jesus’ answer to Martha was this,“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.” v.41
It is possible that we can become so busy and distracted in our Christian walk that we neglect the most important thing – our Lord.
If we’re not careful we can find ourselves living life like those turkeys, moving from one thing to another – distracted. Sitting down at the feet of Jesus brings our focus back to Him. Like Mary, we can choose “the good part”, and it will not be taken away from us.
Are you spending time at the feet of Jesus or are you living a distracted life?
Charlotte
So good and so true, Charlotte!! Some days I feel the same way. I have been trying to say ni to unnecessary things. Thanks for the reminder!
Charlotte, I had to laugh while reading about the turkey. Oh, it is so true for me too, I get sometimes distracted and forget what I was doing. I love the story of Mary and Martha. We do need to be still before Him and listen.