My puppy has a nickname – Marley. My pup is neither male nor named Marley, but those who know her know she has a penchant for getting into things. She is curious and, well, let’s call it “involved” in her surroundings.
Sadie (that’s her real name) doesn’t destroy things in my house like the Marley of the movie “Marley and Me.” She does tear things up that are hers – a stuffed toy, a tennis ball. My hand is a handy chew toy. But that doesn’t last long because she is easily distracted.
When I take her outside she is more likely than not to head off to chase leaves whipping through the yard courtesy of our Wyoming winds. A lovely little bunny could be sitting right in front of Sadie and the pup will chase the leaves – as long as the rabbit doesn’t move.
A few of us were talking Sunday after church and the subject flitted to our dogs and the fact they are easily distracted. The dog in the movie “Up” brought instant laughter as one of us said, “squirrel” and we all laughed and looked. See that dog would be going about his everyday business and suddenly be distracted by one of those smaller furry creatures. Just as quickly, the dog would be back on whatever task he was undertaking.
I am a lot like that dog, and I am guessing so are you.
We keep ourselves busy doing our work – we take care of the kids, are attentive to our spouse, go to work or school and church – and every now and then our heads jerk to the side and we see IT. “Squirrel” (or something equally silly) takes up every available space in our brain and for a time we can focus on nothing else.
I find this happens all the time. I will be cruising at a good pace, doing what I need to do and suddenly an errant thought invades. While listening to something important I am suddenly wondering what time the football game starts. While driving my van I have an idea for something to write. While I am writing I get an idea for writing something different. Most writers I have talked to find that last one to be true. Our brains are constantly writing only not on paper; then we are constantly trying to remember what it is that we didn’t get written down. We live our lives in a constant state of “squirrel!”
Paul addresses this problem with focus and distraction in the book of Philippians. In chapter three he warns about things to look out for – those who do not think as we do, things we think are good for us but really take our focus off what God wants for us. They may very well be good things but not what we should focus on.
The goal is found in verse 10 –“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
A goal is something we strive for, and from which we must try not to be distracted. As Paul says in verses 13 and 14, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
The words “taken hold” translate to “apprehended” in the King James. Have you been apprehended by the things of God? Are you living life distracted? Are you on a perpetual “squirrel hunt?”
The squirrels and swirling leaves in our lives are not going to go away. We all must find a way to stay focused. I am not sure what all that entails for me. I would love to know how you accomplish this goal. Feel free to share it with me by emailing me at cshroyer@pinebluffspost.com or editor@pinebluffspost.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
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