FRIDAY, JUNE 1
“Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
Hebrews 12:3 ESV
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN: DISTRACTIONS
“Distracted driving is more than a problem. It’s an epidemic,” said Joey L. Eddins, an EMT instructor and skills evaluator in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 2016 alone, 3,450 people were killed as a result of distracted driving. 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2015. Distracted driving has been defined as any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, putting on makeup, fiddling with the stereo entertainment or navigation system—anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving. Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
Needless to say, being distracted in the wrong situation can cause great damage and even be deadly. The author of Hebrews knew that hostility from non-Christians could distract us, wear us out and make us want to quit at times. The antidote was to “consider” Jesus. The word consider could also be translated, “keep remembering.” In the face of opposition, don’t forget the hostility Jesus went through for you.
Our days can easily be filled with things that distract us from God’s will for our life. All of those distractions aren’t necessarily sin. But they can fill up enough of our time, energy, resources and affections that we leave Jesus out of our daily lives. And leaving Jesus out of our daily living and decision making can be destructive. What things or people are most likely to distract you from listening to or following God? Take a few moments and sit in silence and try to listen to what God brings to mind as distractions in your life. What would it look like for you to remove those distractions for a season or even permanently from your life?
