Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
I was thinking about my grandfather the other day. He was born in 1893 when the main conduit to communicate events taking place was the newspaper. There were also telegrams and what is now called “snail mail”. When I considered how purposeful people had to be to get information I am amazed. They had to go out to purchase a newspaper or they had to wait for the newspaper to be delivered to them. The same with mail and telegrams. To send a telegram they had to go to a physical location, to send a letter they had to write it and then go to a place to post the letter.
Obviously, today is different. We carry a device that opens the globe to us for not only today’s information but information from years ago. All of this is instantly available (as long as there is a cellular signal or Wi-Fi connection.) Not only can I get news about the Middle East, I can actually read the news from an Israeli news site. I can find a recipe for cooking something the way they do it in Ireland or Japan. I can find the weather forecast for the next 10 days! The list of examples could fill a library, and limited only by our imagination.
As I continued to think about this I realized that the amount of time my grandfather’s generation spent on “being informed” was likely less than 2% of their day. Imagine all they were able to accomplish and focus on because 98% of their day was available to them.
Last week I was busy in the yard with my tractor and its implements preparing the area of the back acre. It wasn’t until I had returned to the house, cleaned up, and eaten dinner that I realized I hadn’t even looked at my phone, let alone look at the news apps. Then hit me, I have allowed my phone and its access to become a distraction.
It is not a leap to take this to the next level in my spiritual growth. How many things in my day distract me from seeing and doing what I know to be important? How often does my mind drift to “the things of Earth” and become distracted from “The light of His glory and grace”?