‘Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’#4:4 Deut 8:3.” Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’ ” Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’#4:7 Deut 6:16.” Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.” “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’#4:10 Deut 6:13.” Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.’ Matthew 4:1-11 (NLT)
‘As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”’ Luke 10:38-42 (NLT)
Most of us would agree that there are more distractions in our world today than ever before. Advertising, entertainment, and the Internet can consume our attention at work and at home. I know I’m easily distracted. And I’m not the only one. Consider that we have laws to prevent us from driving cars and looking at our phones at the same time. That’s ridiculous! No one should have to tell us that’s a bad idea.
But our distractions are symptoms of a deeper problem.
The distractions in my life have cost me a lot. Living a distracted lifestyle isn’t sustainable. Who knows what opportunities I’ve missed because I was caught up in the trappings of technology and our media-saturated, 24/7 consumer culture? They may seem harmless, but every notification alert, mouse click, Reddit thread, or Netflix show is distracting me from something. And usually that something is more important—more consequential.
I’m over the phrase “living your best life,” but the truth is our distractions prevent us from becoming better versions of ourselves. They stunt our growth as leaders and as people.
Matthew 4:1–11 tells us that after 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted by the devil. The enemy offered him food, proof of God’s love, and earthly power. Those things must have sounded pretty good after 40 days of physical, mental, and spiritual discipline. But Jesus recognized they were distractions from his mission. What they offered paled in comparison to what God promised.
So, what’s distracting you? What’s currently taking up too much of your time and preventing you from being the leader—the person—God wants you to be?
from How to Lead in a World of Distraction