Driven to distraction: Pushing to get so much done, even important stuff, that I am distracted from that which is most important.

Driven by distraction: Motivated and pushed by those things which sneak (or snatch) my attention away from what I should be doing.

This morning I read the entry for February 7 (hey, I don’t have an April edition, OK?) in Our Daily Bread. It’s based on Luke 10:38-42.

So Jesus is a guest in Martha’s home (which was also Mary’s home which was also Lazarus’ home).

Martha is naturally and responsibly busy being a providing hostess. Mary, on the other hand, is busy not doing that.

At least that was how Martha saw it. Her friendship with Jesus was such that she went to Him to complain about being without lazy Mary’s help.

Jesus calmly said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

What?!

How fair is that?!

Well, anyway. Here is a chunk of what Dave Branon wrote in the commentary section of today’s reading (if today were February 7, 2010):

The university where I teach as an adjunct professor provides laptop computers for its students. While this can be an aid to the students in many ways, I have discovered one way it hinders learning: The laptops can become a distraction during class.

[…]

Good things can do that. Things that have value can draw our attention away from what we should be paying attention to. This was true for Martha. Luke 10:40 says she was “distracted with much serving,” which took her away from spending time with Jesus. In the same way, a good hobby can have value in and of itself. But if it distracts you from your family responsibilities or relationship with God, some changes are needed.

Are life’s good options distracting you from what your primary priorities should be? Return, as Jesus told Martha, to what “is needed.”

This is good stuff for me.