Susan LaffertyThey hear about this man. News travels fast along trade routes. Rumors fly down country roads.
And suddenly, here he is. Walking into their village.
They stand at a distance. Ten men. Diseased. Desperate in their pain and isolation. Unclean.
“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” They say it loud. Across the divide.
Keep your eyes on the prize. Focus. Don’t get distracted.
“Just one thing: as citizens of heaven, live your life worthy
of the gospel of Christ.”
Philippians 1:27
Traffic is heavy. Moving at 45 mph down a main road in the city. I glance over at the SUV in the lane next to us.
The driver is holding his cell phone. In both hands. Texting.
Distracted.
He looks up once. Touches the wheel. Maintains speed. Then passes us. Still texting.
How quickly we buy in to the world’s version of what we should be doing. What we need now. What our message ought to be. Our eyes wander. Even in COVID-19 lockdowns, attention is scattered. Veers off course.
And one day we’re “multi-tasking” down the road at 45 mph.
Along the journey in His Word, I note those who get distracted. Identify with their struggle. Learn from their failure.
Motionless. I sit. In sunlight. Stilled by loss and grief spilling across screens and down streets. Through personal stories of friends and strangers. Hard and sad.
Bitter wounds. Raw pain rooted deep. Laid bare.
Motionless. I wait. Stilled by the scale of it. What are we to do? Hands rest, palms up.
Eyes lifted to open sky between tall trees.
Wordless cry to the One I trust.
