Cut Distractions, Grab Opportunities

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5: 15 - 20 (NIV)
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Message: “Cut Distractions, Grab Opportunities”
Stuck in a Nothing Box
Famous rock band U2 - song: “Stuck in a moment”
The Chorus: “You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment
And now you can't get out of it
Don't say that later will be better
Now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it”
My wife likes to sing this to me sometimes… those times she is standing on the side looking into how I get stuck in a moment of overthinking or just plain passivity
It is the comedian Mark Gungor that joked about men and their boxes that they use only one at a time (because we can’t multitask) and he referred to the “nothing box” that irritates women out of their skin
It’s when I have my nothing box out, when my wife starts to sing to me… “You’ve got to get yourself together…”
Wisdom is making the most of opportunities
Paul is writing to the Ephesians, urging them to be wise by making of every opportunity that comes their way
He says: “Be very careful, then, how you live”…
Yes, you need to be alert to be wise to be able to recognize opportunities in front of you to be able to grab the opportunities that comes your way
It is a fascinating thought that Paul equates wisdom with the ability to grab opportunities
That is a life skill that we all can work on, isn’t it?
To recognize an opportunity in front of us and to actually grab it
How often don’t we regret missed opportunities?
My brother is a hotel owner and an entrepreneur
He is successful in an environment of tourism with huge challenges
I am amazed every time I visit him at how busy he is - always busy with the next project… improving, building, starting something new… always something
When covid hit in 2020, many thought it was going to be the end of tourism in the small town where they live
Not PJ - he took a huge risk by doing sweeping renovations at the hotel - remember it was in the time of lockdown
When competitors around him were struggling to find ways to survive, he saw the pandemic as an opportunity
Today the hotel is thriving while others are “recovering from the pandemic”
It is a mindset of being willing to look beyond circumstances and see what others is missing
That is why Paul calls grabbing opportunities, wisdom
We will serve God better when we learn to see opportunities in front of us and to take action to actually grab those opportunities
Days are evil
Paul says the days are evil
We can attest to that, certainly - I’m sure we can spend hours describing how evil the days we live in have become
But this not what Paul has in mind
He is simply encouraging the Ephesians to get going despite the days being evil
How often do we get discouraged into passivity when we debate the level of evil of the days we live in?
Yes the days are evil, and there are many things happening around us that we don’t agree with… but that shouldn’t stop us from moving forward!
Distractions = foolish
That brings us to the distractions…
Paul refers to drunkenness that leads to an obsession of pleasure
It is easy to take these words as a listing of sins that we should not commit
Instead, Paul is mentioning it as distractions
Perhaps an alternative definition of sin?
Can we see sin as being distracted from making the most of the opportunities that comes our way?
If you think of it that way, sin gets new meaning… netflix, social media, gossip, passivity, negativity, pessimism… all things that prevent us from grabbing opportunities
Take the time to reflect on the distractions in your life!
Sing from your heart and give thanks
Then Paul ends off this passage with the call to sing from your heart and give thanks to God
Does this mean we should stop drinking beer and take out hymn books?
Yes and no!
It is about the heart - it’s about a joyful heart that is grateful for everything God gives
It is about a happy heart that gives thanks to God for all the opportunities God brings our way
It is about a heart that is free to serve - so free that it is a singing heart
So, a wise life, recognizing opportunities and grabbing them, cutting out distractions, comes from a joyful heart of gratitude
Let us choose to be wise
Let us cut the distractions in our lives
Let us grab the opportunities God gives us
Let us live with joyful hearts of gratitude
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