I took a day off at the end of two very long and successful
weeks of serving the church in Botswana. Well, most of the day anyhow. The
morning started very early as I spoke at the national police academy for the
country. It was powerful and moving, but that’s another story.
Later that day, the team from Eastpoint and I went on a
safari to a game preserve. I love Botswana, and I love animals, so this was an
incredible day for me. We saw everything from baboons to giraffes. Without a
doubt, however, the highlight of the day was two male hippos.
Our driver let us get out of the Land Rover and allowed us
to move fairly close to the water. Frankly, I was a bit surprised because the
last time I was there the previous guide wouldn’t let us out of the truck. He
said something about getting eaten.
Seeing hippos in the wild is hard to describe. They’re
enormous and fascinating. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive
creatures in the world and is considered by many as one of the most dangerous
animals in Africa. In fact, hippos kill more humans in Africa than any other
wild animal. That being the case, our guide cautioned us. Though they are only
territorial while in the water, an angry hippo can easily outrun most humans.
I’d read about hippos, so I wasn’t too concerned, and the
males were still a reasonable distance from all of us. However, as we
approached the water and the tall grass, our guide kept saying, “Mind the
alligators. Mind the alligators!” He was more worried about the gators than the
hippos, so he cautioned us to keep a watchful eye out for them while we were
enjoying the sights.
Of course, being a pastor, I started thinking about the
lesson to be learned in this situation.
Here it is: So often we are focused on something
entertaining, fascinating and cool (like a hippo or two) that we aren’t paying
attention to the other lurking dangers around us.
In other words, we humans, quite unlike animals in the
wild, get distracted and then we end up hurt or dead.
Sound a bit too melodramatic? I think not.
How many times have you heard about a driver looking at an
accident on the highway only to cause another one because he or she wasn’t
paying attention to the road ahead of them?
How many times have you seen a spouse get so involved and
consumed by their career that they lose their marriage or family in the pursuit
of success?
How many times have you found yourself wasting hours
binging on Netflix while your Bible collects dust on your nightstand or the
backseat of your car?
Peter once wrote, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy
the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1
Pet. 5:8).
Like it or not, admit it or not, too often too many forget
that we must always be emotionally, physically and spiritually alert. You have
an enemy, and he wants to kill you.
In my experience, Satan rarely if ever walks up and says,
“Hey, mind if I destroy your life?”
Nope.
Instead, he is a master of distraction. He will get you
looking at or doing something that is probably fun, cool and maybe even good,
while he slips in through the tall grass to devour you.
Perhaps that’s why Jesus made such a big deal about
focusing on the kingdom of God first and foremost. Maybe that’s why he told the
rich young ruler to go and sell all that he had and to come then and follow
him. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said to let the dead bury the dead and to not
look back.
Jesus doesn’t want you, or me, preoccupied with the
temporary. When we are distracted by things that seem innocent and harmless—we
risk losing what truly matters.
So, mind the alligators (and the lions).
“God is looking earnestly and everywhere for
men and women who he can bless, strengthen and use; people who are absolutely
focused and committed to him and his purposes on the earth!” —2 Chronicles 16:9
(Bubna Paraphrase)
Kurt Bubna is
the senior pastor of Eastpoint Church in Spokane Valley, Washington, a regional
purpose-driven director (Saddleback Church) and the author of the book Epic Grace: Chronicles of a
Recovering Idiot.
This post was originally published on KurtBubna.com.
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