Do you think of distraction as sin, or do you think of it only as lost time? Most believers have a list of sins in their mind, ranked in order of severity, and it is prominent in their thinking even if it is never committed to print. It is useful for comparing oneself to others. For most people distraction doesn’t even make the list. But I have a destiny for you as part of my body. It is real and other people depend on you doing your part. If you are distracted from accomplishing it then it is just as great a loss as if you were doing something you think of as sin.

My word offers you the promise that you can be transformed into my likeness. Is this what you really want? Does this promise become less appealing the more you are established in your own identity? Do you understand the process that is required in this transformation? There is much that you must let go of for it to be accomplished. You can also expect to be sifted like wheat, to die to yourself and pick up your cross and follow me. This also involves a thorn in your flesh and walking with a limp. This is the path to transformation.

My word is clear about the importance of giving to the poor. It is present throughout the Bible, and one practice present in most faith traditions and approved of by those outside the church practicing it. It is the closest thing to a universally approved practice. Do you give money to the poor? If you give them enough then they are no longer poor, but I said that you have the poor with you always. Money isn’t the only thing that you can give the poor, and it may not be the best. Are you prepared to address the issues that led to their poverty in the first place?

Do you interact with people you don’t engage with? In the course of your day do you come in contact with clerks and servers and various other people in the service industry that you see face to face but do not really engage? You may describe their service to you as unskilled menial labor, but you depend on them to facilitate your transactions and the convenience of your life. They too have their stories, and know things that would be beneficial for you to know. Can you make the effort to engage everyone you meet as an authentic human encounter?