29-Sep-24 (Mark 9:38-50)

Today, I want you to think of something that distracts you, something that keeps your attention on it so that you spend too much time with it and probably don't do other things that you should be doing. It could be something that other people don't have any problem with, but you do. It might be something like gossip, where you get so worked up about what other people are doing that you don't do what you should be doing. It might be something like anger, where others just drop it, you keep on being mad at someone and it distracts you and keeps all your attention. It might be something you want so bad that it's all you can think about. Because you're thinking about it, you forget what you already have. You can't stop talking about it.
Whatever it is, Jesus said that, for each of us, there are things that we should just avoid. Things that cause us to be too distracted. Things that take all our attention and time. Things that keep us from doing what God wants us to do.
Jesus said, we're better off just forgetting about these things. Throw them away. Get rid of them.
Because, if we're distracted, we'll miss the people who need God's love in us. We'll miss the times we have to love others and to serve God. We'll miss out on the really good stuff.
Let's pray about that.

Prayer

God, we thank you for sending us Jesus to help us to see the things that are good for us and the things that aren't. Help us to see when things distract us from you and what you want and help us to get rid of them. Help us to see when things keep us from loving others and get rid of them. Help us to pay attention to you and to others.
We pray in Jesus' name. AMEN