Urgent

Tyranny of the Urgent. Back in the day, this small booklet by Charles E. Hummel captures my attention. And convicts my heart. 

He quotes a man who told him, “Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.”

What crowds out the important in my life today?

Numbing

One Sunday, our pastor notes the “comforts” numbing pain in this era. He lists the usual suspects.

Alcohol. Drugs. Porn. Food.

Then he names one thing most of us tend to use for escape. Taking our minds off present realities. Or filling our waiting. Even leading to neglect of duties at work or home.

What is it? I think you can guess.

Today, Hummel might write, “Tyranny of the Cell Phone.” 

Portraits

Perhaps you’ve seen the photographer’s recent portfolio. Portraits of ordinary scenes. 

People at work. On public transport. In the park. On vacation.

All of them? Heads bent. Looking at one hand.

The photographer digitally removed what rested in each of those hands. 

A cell phone. 

Tyranny of the urgent

Never go anywhere without your phone. Don’t even leave it in another room. You might need it. 

Tyranny of the urgent. Crowding out the important.

Look up necessary information. Peruse the grocery app. See what’s on sale at the bookstore. Check social media posts. Scroll through funny reels and memes….

But I digress.

Counter compulsion

Recognizing the tyranny helps me do something practical. 

To counter compulsion.

Leaving my phone at home more often when I go for a walk. 

Keeping it out of sight. In a drawer. Or in another room. For certain periods of time. 

Urgency

Replace the tyranny of the urgent with an urgency to follow the One and Only. Moment by moment.

He is Lord. Lord of our lives and schedules and cell phones.

He knows what’s important.

Trust and obey.

What about you?

Do you struggle with the tyranny of the urgent? How do you keep your focus on what’s truly important?

Related

Blindspots – Pressing in – Hebrews 12:1-2 – Luke 9:23 – Tyranny of the Urgent