Distractions

"Keep your eyes straight ahead, ignore all sideshow distractions" (Proverbs 4:25, The Message Bible)

A story is told of a King who gave a great responsibility to a young boy who served in his palace. He handed  the boy a scroll with the following words, "In the prison across town there is a prisoner who going to be hanged today. Go to the jailer and a deliver this message: 'By the order of the King this man is pardoned.'" What an awesome responsibility! the boy thought to himself. So off he went, eager to bear the good news. As he walked, he could not help but think how grateful the man would be after hearing the message he would bear. As the boy passed a store, he could not help but think that the man would need clothes after coming out of jail, so he spent a few minutes and bought him some clothes. He passed by a bakery and thought to himself that surely the man would be hungry, so he stopped by and bought some bread. Then he started to run to the prison with all his strength. When he got to the prison, out of breath he said to the jailer, "By orders of the King the man that is to be hanged today has been pardoned!" The jailer shook his head and with tears in his eyes said to the boy, "He was executed just 5 minutes ago."

2018 is the year in which God wants to accomplish much through us — but will we like that young boy be distracted by sideshows, things that ultimately don't matter? For some, the distraction is a legitimate relationship, for others it may be a forbidden relationship, for others it may be social media, a well chiseled body, television, food, fashion, wealth, or career aspirations. The purpose of 2018 is not to obtain these things, but rather to find out what God would have us accomplish. Let us not sell ourselves short by coming up with a list of resolutions, that are of no real benefit in God's grand design for our lives. Let 2018 be the year in which we discover God's purpose for our lives.

— by Ryan Parkinson
anchored2therock.com