Up until last week I had never seen the circus with my own eyes. So, last Thursday, when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at it. I was so excited and I could not wait to see the lions, and tigers, and bears... oh my. Wait, do they have bears at the circus? I also could not wait to see goofy clowns be fired from cannons and trapeze artists fly through the air. The circus was sold out on Thursday night and little did I know, but we would be part of the show... the traffic part.
After much ado, we finally arrived at our seats and there it was... the circus! Lights and music filled the room. Silly clowns tripped over their own feet while others laughed at their folly. Magicians enticed volunteers into magic boxes and proceeded to saw them in half or cause them to vanish into thin air.
I don't know about everyone else, but I couldn't keep up... everything moved too fast! One minute the circus floor came alive with dancers and clowns. Suddenly the dancers and clowns were gone and a bunch of elephants paraded around the room. At one point the lights shifted to the ceiling where I watched a young couple dance... upside down. I still don't understand why they didn't pass out. As the dancers captured my attention a tiger cage quietly appeared on the floor. At that moment I realized... the circus has mastered the art of distraction. They made me look left so I would not see what they were doing on the right. Then they made me look up at the ceiling so I would not see what they were doing on the floor... you get the picture.
I can't help but compare the circus with daily life and ministry. Admit it... most of our calendars do resemble a 3-Ring circus. Some of us habitually run around like circus clowns. We fall down (or we push someone else down) and then we laugh. Others of us balance too much on our shoulders and then venture out onto a tightrope. Oh, what a treacherous path! A few of us are brave enough to train lions...yikes...too many sharp teeth and claws for me! And finally, there are those of us who dance upside down. The only problem... if we dance upside down for too long, the blood rushes to our head and we lose our mind. I don't know about you, but I'm still looking for mine!
Okay... now for the serious part. The circus may use distraction well, but the true master of distraction is none other than the enemy of our souls. Satan hates it when a Christian focuses on God. He knows which distractions work best and he brilliantly employs them (over and over again) until his purpose is achieved... Christians who take their eyes off of God.
A perfect example is found in John 21:15-23: Jesus asks Peter three times about love and then, after Peter responds to each question, Jesus gives him an assignment... Feed my lambs...Take care of my sheep... Feed my sheep. This, my friend, was Peter's call into the ministry. After this, Jesus revealed something else to Peter... "I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." The reason Jesus said this was to indicate how Peter's death would glorify God. Jesus told Peter that someone would lead him where he did not want to go, but then added... Follow me! In other words... "Peter, no matter what happens do not take your eyes off of me." But alas, while Jesus was still speaking, Peter turned around and became distracted by someone who was following them... When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."
Apparently, Peter had a short attention span and was easily distracted. Could it be that you and I are like Peter? The Lord reveals His plan for us, but our focus turns toward other people or other things? Does Satan's sleight of hand grab our attention and the voice of the Lord becomes a soft echo in our ears... "Follow me, follow me, follow me." Then, before we realize it, we have moved from the center of God's will and the snare of distraction snaps shut.
Don't fret... God is able to free snared people! Distractions may come and go, but one thing is clear... God's work is God's work. He has no need to compete with Himself. God can accomplish many different things through many different people... all at the same time! Our part is to fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:2). Hey... did you see that? The Greatest Show in Heaven and on Earth... God at work!
Remember this... you are loved and you are always in my prayers.
In Christ,
Cheryl
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August 2010 Lamplight Article - Greatest Show on Earth, Written by Cheryl Harrison, © Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
