The Cost of Distraction

Jesus’ last words to His closest group of followers were to ‘make disciples.’ He didn’t give them a long list of things to accomplish that might keep them from the most important task. He knew that distraction would have a cost.

Over the course of the last couple of years I have had a number of conversations with people from all over who are coming to the same conclusion that we, the church, have indeed become distracted.

Some of us have defined what it means to follow Jesus by another set of rules and practices that frequently doesn’t include making disciples.

I grew up in the church. Literally, I was at church hours after I was born. At an early age I made a decision to trust Jesus’ life, death and resurrection as the only thing that could pay for my sin and ever since I have been closely connected to the church.

I made it my aim to grow in service, knowledge, and other acts that I thought equaled spiritual maturity. As I got older, new opportunities presented themselves to preach and counsel people. There was a continuous flow of challenges in front of me. From all that I was doing, I believed that I was growing spiritually.

All without intentionally making a single disciple.

I was keeping busy, but had yet to do the one thing that Jesus commanded before He ascended into heaven.

There is a saying that ‘ignorance is bliss.’ In some ways that is true. While I was preaching, serving and giving, I was getting plenty of pats on the back about what I was doing and it felt good. Really good. I felt like I was moving toward the goal that every believer wants to hear: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’

The problem was that I had redefined what good and faithful meant. And the matrix I was using didn’t include the daily living out of Jesus’ final words.

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

– Matthew 28:18-20, ESV

Many times we would like to believe that God didn’t actually speak or show us something. Because if He actually did, then we are brought to a crossroads and must make a decision. Will we obey?

Distraction comes in many subtle forms. One pastor said it this way: ‘Satan always has time to rock the cradle of the sleeping Christian.’ Even when we are busy, but not personally invested in making disciples by teaching, instructing, and baptizing, we are asleep, or distracted. And there is a cost.

Jesus’ model is one of multiplication. Making disciples who make disciples. This is how we ‘go into all nations.’ Through exponential growth.

There is a reason that Satan makes time to use comfort and good things to distract us. Following the model of discipleship that Jesus taught and exemplified will literally change the world.

The cost of distraction is lost opportunity. Scripture tells us that life is short, like a vapor. When it is gone we will no longer have the chance to teach, instruct, and baptize.

But if we spend our short time here on earth committed to making disciples who make disciples, the work that we have done will continue to push the mission of Jesus forward long after our bodies die.

Have you been distracted?

If so, don’t be discouraged. You aren’t alone. Let this be a day of awakening for you. Jesus has invited us into the mission that He began and is still doing. Will we be involved? Or are we content in our distraction?