Does God have your undivided attention?
Most of us are guilty of staring into our phones...head down & disengaged from those around us.
We see it in restaurants, where entire families are looking down at their phones, rather than conversing with one another.
We see people walking through parking lots, hallways & stores with their heads in their phones...almost oblivious to what's happening around them.
In fact, I've even spoken to adults & children who won't take their face out of their phone long enough to acknowledge a greeting or a handshake. It's very rude to speak to someone & they won't speak to you or if they do, at best you get a grunt. Parents, please don't make excuses for your children's behavior. They're doing what they see you do & it's not only socially unacceptable...it's rude.
We even see it in churches.
Pastors are preaching/teaching a word from The Lord & instead of listening intently, taking notes & being actively engaged in the service...heads are down in their phones & not because they're taking notes. Many are scrolling through social media, posting comments/likes/etc., on their timelines & their friend's timelines while the service is taking place. Some are even playing games.
They're making God compete for their time.
Seemingly, the Word of the Lord is no longer "exciting" enough for them to sit and listen to & learn. They have become...
DISINTERESTED
DISCONNECTED
DISRESPECTFUL
What's worse is...the people sitting around them are being distracted by their actions.
Friend, I wonder what God thinks of a person who causes another person to lose focus on Him during a service? What does God think about a person who is knowingly causing a stumbling block for another person to receive the spiritual help they need?
I think the next time I see people doing this, no matter who they are...a church member or even an entire row of leaders...I'm just going to STOP preaching, LOOK at them & SAY...
"Please let us know when you're ready to
pay attention & we'll continue."
It's a matter of MATURITY & SELF-CONTROL. Both are byproducts of The Fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) We should know better & we should do better.
God want's our UNDIVIDED ATTENTION & we must each hold ourselves accountable.
Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."