Tag: social media

Priorities vs. Distractions

The woman was scrolling through her Facebook feed while driving.

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And she wasn’t just sitting at a red light either.  It was after dark so I could clearly see what was on her oversized smart phone.   It’s not like she was dialing 911 to report an accident, or was using GPS because she was lost.  It was Facebook, people….FACEBOOK.

This isn’t a personal rant against phone use while driving.   This incident did, however, remind me of the dozens of ridiculous distractions we face every day.

For followers of Jesus, distractions can be quite costly.

Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.  – Proverbs 4:25

I’ve experienced this in my own life just this past week.   I love my early morning habit of reading God’s Word and meditating in prayer.  It just creates a solid kickstart to my day.  It frames my thought life.  Well, that didn’t happen for 3 consecutive days this week (insert pouty face).

Why?

I’ll give you one guess.  Distractions!  Gmail…Evernote…social media…my task list…incoming texts and random thoughts.  Why did these things keep me from the most important habit of my day?  Because I allowed them to.  I could have (and usually do) taken measures to guarantee this didn’t happen, but I didn’t.  Call it being lazy or losing focus.  The fact is I didn’t make it a priority on those days.

Where are you losing focus?

  • Your marriage
  • Work
  • Personal goals

Recognize what is distracting you.

  • Screen time (internet and T.V.)
  • Voices around you
  • Unhealthy habits
  • Negative influences
  • Lack of sleep

Once we have figured these things out we can start making appropriate changes.  This might involve better time management, reading a book on a specific subject, or limiting the time we spend around certain people.

What does this look like for you?  Join the discussion below.  I’d love to hear from you.

 

 

 

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Yesterday’s tools: Ineffective!

Wow…1891 to 2007  is represented in this picture.  Roughly 116 years between these two phones and the primary function remains the same…..communication.  The rotary phone could make single phone calls.  That’s it!  It couldn’t take messages, offer call-waiting or conference calls, or utilize a contacts list for speed-dialing.  The iPhone, however, can do all these…plus countless additional methods to send and receive information.  Here’s the problem with the rotary phone today.  It can’t be used with today’s technology!  It has become obsolete.   The need for making phone calls, however, still remains a need today.

Question…

How would you personally react to a friend of yours if they were insistent on keeping their rotary phone and refusing to move forward with technology?  One might think they are ignorant, irrelevant, and/or disconnected from society.  Ironically, many of our churches are like this person.  Figuratively speaking, they are attempting to Tweet, Blog, and Facebook the vision of their church and the love of Jesus…using a rotary phone!  These churches are becoming ‘ignorant, irrelevant, and/or disconnected from society.’  Now, can they still ‘DO‘ good works for the Kingdom?  Absolutely!  Many times, however, the topic turns to audience.  Who and how many do you want to reach with the Gospel message?

I don’t recall who actually coined this statement, but I remember it from a conference a few years ago.  Referring to the Gospel they said, “Its necessary to constantly change HOW we spread God’s Word, so long as the Word itself doesn’t change.”  Jesus modeled this for us.  He taught outside in public gatherings.  He also used parables.  He realized that if He only taught in the synagogues His audience would be limited.

In what ways is your church using Social Media to advance the Kingdom?  Or…if you have been resistant to, what have been your reasons?