Distractions
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14
"The passage above came to me while playing a game called “Brick Breaker.” The game is like tennis. You have a paddle that goes from left to right, and you bounce a ball toward bricks. When you hit a brick it disappears. After you hit all the bricks in the stage, you go to the next level. Every once in a while, hitting a brick will release a bonus (extra life, laser, or multiple balls). The funny thing I noticed was that every time I would chase after the bonuses, I would die soon after.
When I was just concentrating on one ball, I would be fine. When the bonuses would pop up, I would get excited because an opportunity to get ahead presented itself. I would have to time it correctly, hit the ball, chase the bonus, and make it back in time to hit the ball again. When I got distracted, I died
At first I was just moving left to right trying to hit one ball. Now I’m trying to hit one ball, catch the bonus, go after the original ball, and press a button to shoot the weapon. A simple game just got complicated.
It’s just like life. Most of our original dreams are to get a good job, find a mate, buy a house, have some kids, and live happily ever after. The focus of most Americans today is buying a bigger house, nice cars, and college for their kids. In the chase for the bonuses in life, we neglect our spouses and children. We spend extra hours at the office to pay for the things we bought and for the things that we desire. We try so hard to keep up with the Joneses, not realizing they’re buried in debt.
We work forty-to sixty-hour weeks in order to retire sooner. We waste our good years in hopes of having fun when we’re older. Now instead of enjoying life, people are miserable, and you can see it in their expressions. That’s why many people can’t wait for Friday so they can get drunk and forget about their problems. There are many who travel this road because the way is broad and the gate is wide.
I once traveled that same road myself. I worked the long hours trying to get ahead of the game. I would work an eight-hour shift then work another four hours at home. I would only take a break to have dinner with my wife and kids, then back to work. I would dread vacations because I knew when I returned my desk would be full of things to do. In my attempt to lighten the load, I would bring work with me and do it when everyone was sleeping. I also left my phone on just in case someone at the office needed me.
In my attempts to give my wife everything I thought she wanted, I robbed her of her joy. I couldn’t give my wife the attention she desired because I thought it was stuff she wanted.
It wasn’t until I found the truth in God’s Word that I realized I as riding the highway to hell. My hell was drinking half a bottle of scotch every time I fought with my wife, which was quite frequently. I actually counted the days we didn’t fight because it was easier.
Why did we fight? The main reason was because we didn’t understand each other. My wife wanted more of me while I thought she wanted more stuff. It seems easy enough, but the world’s view on how life is supposed to be blinds us.
We communicated less because we knew everything about each other. We didn’t have anything else to talk about. The only thing we had in common was our kids. We spent many dinners just staring at each other.
The truth I learned and the changes I made can be seen in my stories on love. "
God Made Me Pick Up Underwear,
Finding Faith In Unusual Places
