Keeping focus on the real prize
Igrew up in a time where being outdoors was both encouraged and happened out of necessity. We didn’t have air conditioning, so in the heat of the day, it was cooler to be outside than inside. We also didn’t have the technological devices that so many spend time on in today’s world, so we went out to play ball, go fish and hang out with friends.
My father-in-law took a lot of time taking me hunting and fishing. It took a lot of patience, and a great deal of focus to be successful at either one. If you fish, and become distracted from watching a cork, or keeping a line tight to feel a strike, you will likely lose a fish biting the bait on your hook. I have lost many fish being distracted.
The same is true hunting.
I lost an opportunity to harvest a nice buck when I decided to examine some straps on a new hunting backpack. I was adjusting one strap and fastened one of the connectors when, as soon as it clicked, I heard a snort, looked up, and was nearly face to face with a nice one. He turned and took off before I could grab my rifle. The same thing happened on another hunt when it seemed nothing was coming by, so I took out a New Testament and started to read, only to hear the blow of the buck, and looking up, saw him turn and give me the white tail exit. On both occasions, I lost focus on what I was doing and paid the price.
Distractions are everywhere in our busy world. Some distractions seem like a necessary break from stressful and tedious tasks, but others hinder us from accomplishing important goals. The needs of family and work clash with the availability of entertainment and social media. Even faith is pitted against lesser temporal pursuits because of the promise of instant gratification. Let’s be honest, it is hard to maintain focus on what is important.
The Apostle Paul knew the difficulties of staying focused on what truly matters. We often take our eyes off the real goal as believers and place our attention on lesser matters. He wrote, “But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” That’s a prize worthy of our focus.
