Posted: 09 July 2024

From a sermon given on 07 July 2024:

And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.
(2 Samuel 16:13)

A distraction is a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else which happens to be more important. In this life, the main thing is always to endeavor to ensure that the main thing remains the main thing. However, Satan and his agents will always be there to redirect your attention towards something else so that you lose the main blessing.

David was running away from his son Absalom who had staged a coup d'etat. When he came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of Saul whose name of Shimei. He came out cursing and he threw stones at David and the people who were with him. Abishai wanted first to stop and deal with him, but the king restrained him. David and his men went along the road and Shimei went along the hill cursing and throwing stones. David concentrated on the main thing; getting to a safer ground.

Winston Churchill famously said: You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks. In other words, there will always be people in your circles who will be there to make a lot of "noise" - complain, backbite, pile allegation, discredit you etc. Their main intention is to distract you from your priorities. The best way out is to make them irrelevant by not giving them your attention. Like David, don't pay attention to the side shows! You must continue concentrating on the main thing until the task is finished. Don't fight every distraction; simply make it irrelevant!

Further Readings:

And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
(1 Samuel 17:28, 29)

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
(Proverbs 4:25)

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
(Luke 10:38-42)