“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or to the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:25-27)

Last week in our city of St. Catharines, police officers were setting up shop at various intersections with one goal in mind: Catch those who were committing the offense known as “distracted driving.” Needless to say it was a very “successful” campaign!

The most flagrant violation under this category is, of course, drivers using their cell phones to text, talk, check e-mail, etc. However, distracted driving is not limited to cell phone use. You could also be ticketed for eating a sandwich with one hand while driving with the other or applying lipstick while looking into the mirror on your visor…in short, anything that takes your attention away from focusing on the main task at hand, i.e. driving in a safe manner.

For the record, I have been using a Bluetooth headset for taking and making calls since the day that our province enacted legislation to this effect. However, I cannot say the same for text messages and e-mails.

The hefty fine of $280 and the possibility of a careless driving charge (6 demerit points and up to a $2000 fine and/or 6 months in jail), should be a deterrent in itself. What is even worse is the prospect of driving off the road and putting one’s life and the lives of others in the vehicle in jeopardy. Or even worse, driving into another vehicle and destroying more innocent lives in the process.  

Dear DWOD friend, distractions abound on the road to your destiny also. Over the years, I have seen many who were tracking well toward their destiny get completely derailed by distractions. Frankly, I have given in to distractions myself and prevented myself from progressing as I ought to.

There have been times when I have committed myself to a training program that will help me move forward. But before I master it, I get interested in something else that also looks good. Before I know it, I have mastered neither. It was nothing but a self-inflicted distraction that delayed my destiny.

Or sometimes it can be something as simple as starting to write a DWOD, only to see the notification of an e-mail’s arrival in my inbox or hear the ‘ding’ of a Facebook message. The e-mail has a link that I absolutely need to click on right away, of course! And the Fb message demands an immediate response, amen? Then I’m reminded that I need to change my stale-dated profile picture. Ah, might as well use one of those recent pics I took for the cover, while I’m at it.

In the meantime, another e-mail arrives. I must read the article that my good friend recommends. Oh, what’s this, 32 likes and 19 comments for my profile picture and double digits in both categories for the cover pic as well? Wow! Gotta check them out first and like every comment…courtesy demands it, right?

Before you know it, the original inspiration for the DWOD has taken wings and flown away into the nether regions of the brain. Launch search and rescue. Brilliant Idea, where art thou?  

No wonder Solomon, the wisest king of them all, counsels us: “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you…Do not turn to the right or to the left…”  

In other words, he is telling us to avoid distractions. They carry a hefty penalty. Sometimes you pay with hard-earned cash. Sometimes the price tag is a precious life.

One thing is for sure. Distractions can delay your destiny and destroy you in the process.

How about you, dear friend? What are some distractions that you battle? Have you been derailed by any in the past? How do you avoid destructive distractions now?

Would you kindly share your experiences with the rest of us? Thanks in advance.