Oh Look!

Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee… (Isaiah 26:3 KJV)

Being able to redirect attention and regain order is a valuable skill for anyone working with children. As the mother of four and the grandmother of nine, my mother was a master at this technique. She would intervene if my sisters and I were fussing with each other or engaged in inappropriate behavior. Mom could always come up with something interesting to turn our attention away to bring peace and safety.

“Oh, look,” she would say in a voice full of excitement. “Is that hawk after that little sparrow?” Or, she might say, “Listen, what’s that noise?” Often, there was no hawk, no sparrow, and no noise. However, our thoughts would always be redirected as we were caught up in looking and listening elsewhere.

My mother used this technique in a positive way to restore order. We Christians need to know that our soul's enemy uses the same tactic to distract us from our walk with God. The world, the flesh and the devil can easily divert our thoughts to something that seems exciting, interesting, or even relaxing. But in that diversion, we can lose a blessing or a calling meant for us.

Occasionally the lure may seem inconsequential such as golfing or fishing. Other times, it is a clear call to our sinful nature. In truth, anything that draws us away from God and His plan for our days is to be avoided.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to keep our minds stayed on You so that we are alert to Your voice alone. Give us wisdom to know when the world is tempting us away from Your purpose with counterfeit calls on our lives.

Christy Struben © 2010