distrac... what was that? oh, distractions.

There is this cricket in my office and it is very annoying. I first heard him chirping yesterday afternoon- and when I sat down at my desk this morning, he was still going strong. I will get up to look for him (so quietly, I might add) and it's like he knows! As soon as I stand up from my chair he gets quiet. Almost immediately after I sit back down he starts playing his little cricket symphony again. He is driving me c.r.a.z.y. Because he is such a distraction. I am trying to work on things and then I realize I am literally holding my breath waiting for him to stop. Or, when he takes a break and starts up again it hits a nerve and whatever train of thought I am on gets completely derailed. It's the worst. It's a distraction, and we all know how distractions keep us from thinking about what it is we are supposed to be thinking about.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" Philippians 4:8 
So these are the things we are to be thinking about. These are the things we should "put on" daily. I mean, we should set out to live these things out. Deciding that we will make choices that are right, pure and admirable. If there is anything we can do or say that is praiseworthy it is those things that are true. We should treat others justly, being fair and right in how we deal with them. We will choose honorable and commendable things.

So why don't we always? Why is it that we allow impure thoughts to fill our minds? Why do we put ourselves above others, or, instead of being fair we are kind to who we like and decide we don't have to be kind to those we don't like? Why do we spend time thinking about things that we know others would not find honorable or admirable? Why do we think untrue thoughts or speak lies instead of truth and expect that maybe no one, not even God will know? Distractions. In Hebrews 12:2, the bible tells us to "fix our eyes on Jesus", but why then is it that he is not always at the forefront of our minds, he does not always take the #1 seat in our lives? I think it tends to be from distraction. We allow ourselves to spend to much time thinking about _________. You fill in the blank. What consumes your thoughts? Is it clothes, money, popularity, fame? Or even not the obvious "materialistic" things that can be negative distractions... There are "good" things too, like success in school or a job, relationships with friends and loved ones-- but these good things, when put before God, still become distractions. We have to be careful to remember to put God above all other things. Some distraction we need to completely get rid of (like this cricket!) but some, we just need to get our priorities straight. God first- then everything else will fall in line. When we do this, it makes it easier or more commonplace for our thoughts to be on those excellent, praiseworthy things- thoughts that are only true, honorable, just, pure, holy and commendable.

Just as this cricket is trying to distract me from my work today... what distractions keep you from thinking on those praiseworthy things- that keep you from fixing your eyes on Jesus?

posted by: Tara