Chongquing in China came up with a way to remind pedestrians of the danger of being distracted by a cell phone while walking.... separate lanes for those using or not using their cell phone.
Just like driving while distracted, walking while distracted had become an issue.
Pedestrian injuries have risen by 35% since 2010. New York State lowered speed limits in the city to lower injuries to those that use cell phones while walking.
Here we had someone so distracted by his cell phone he almost walked into a bear:
This got me to thinking about being distracted in our lives. Do we ever get so distracted we forget what is most important?
Luke 10:38-42
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
I Corinthians 7:35
This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
Matthew 2:22-24
The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Hebrews 12:1,2
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Let's make sure that our focus is on the eternal, not the everyday distractions.
© Vivian P. Kirkpatrick, 2015