Distracted

Recently I heard a most profound statement. While out blueberry picking, the farmer handed me a bucket and waved me off down the trail, pointing out beyond where I stood. He told me where the best picking was. He closed with “And don’t get distracted on the way.” Meaning, you’ll see berries, but if you want the BEST, and lots of them–keep going. Stay focused!

It was true.  As I walked the dusty isles between the mounded rows of bushes, yes, there were beautiful blueberries scattered here and there. But as I took a closer look, they had been picked over.  I could tell other folks stopped here, at the very beginning of the field and picked.  So did the next picker and the next.  They didn’t journey out, they stopped at the first sight of berries.  I would venture to say, some may have grown frustrated, thinking, the berries weren’t ripe yet (since primarily only green berries were left where they stood) and not going forth caused their perspective of the field to be lacking.

As I picked handfuls of plump berries (at the other end of the field) I thought about how true his statement was.  How often in our daily lives are we venturing along and “Oh, looky there.”  Full stop.

Distracted. 

Before we know it, we have dropped our (metaphorical) road map and we are all over the place. Distractions give way to swerving.  Swerving gives way to detours. Yielding to distraction burns up time, energy and not to mention (but I will)—loyalty. How many of us can look back and grieve wasted time, breach of loyalty to our God?  Distractions keep us and delay us from the best!

King Solomon, the wisest biblical guy wrote: “Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path” (Proverbs 4:25-26, NLT). What wonderful imagery. The idea isn’t a quick glance but conveying someone who studies what is ahead. Once understanding what is ahead, the plan is weighed out and the best route is calculated.  Solomon goes on to say, “Don’t get sidetracked.”  

Distracted.

The Pastor of the book of Hebrews wrote: “Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (12:1b-2, NLT).  THIS is our specifically designed, God set before us “mark out a straight path” —plan. 

What is it that distracts us most?  What distracts us the quickest?  What time waster consumes us? How, where are we spending our energy? Do we too stop and attempt to fill our bucket, all the while there is abundance further out in the field?

Point to ponder.

Life is like a berry patch. Look straight ahead. Fix your eyes. Mark out the straight path.  Jesus.

Don’t get distracted.

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love & good deeds” – Hebrews 10:24).