The Attraction of Distraction

 Your calling might be boring, and that's okay.

Creative Christians

WE LOVE OUR distractions. We pretend they are a nuisance only to seek them out, often subconsciously. The constant ding, ping, and vibration of the PhoneWatchTablet triggers a dopamine rush that leaves us craving more.

But this problem isn't a recent one. Prior to smartphones, people clutched their Blackberry phones—nicknamed Crackberries for their endorphin-induced addictions—not to mention email, instant messages, and regular old television.

Distractions have been around as long as humans have. Look to language for some clues.

In the Spanish language the word for fun is diversión. Fun is a diversion from normal life, a break from the boring day-to-day slog. In (American) English, we use the word vacation for periods of leisure and travel. I love a good vacation, but think about the implications of that word. How depressing it is that to enjoy ourselves, we must vacate our boring, pathetic lives.

Rest, leisure, and yes, fun, are all important components of a healthy life. God commanded a Sabbath rest for his people, and, as Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man" (Mark 2:27). Jesus rested. He enjoyed time with his friends.

But the problem is when fun, free time, and travel become our end goal. Diversions, if left unchecked, will divert us from our God-given responsibilities and calling. Proverbs 28:19 warns against chasing frivolity:

Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
    but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

The Berean Standard Bible translates the verse by referring to "he who chases fantasies." As someone who's invested countless hours in fantasy football, I'm offended. You're talking to the reigning champion of Marcia's Lil Pigskin Pals!

Again, this isn't me or (more importantly) the Bible railing against leisure, but rather a call to take care of your God-given responsibilities. For those of us living in suburban or urban environments, working the land is probably a foreign concept. I'm pretty sure the food I eat magically arrives at the supermarket every week.

Nevertheless, all of us non-farmers are still on the hook for Proverbs 28:19, because the verse extends far beyond a literal working of the land. We all have responsibilities and roles that require diligence. These are primary duties God has placed in our lives.

I love the way the 18th Century English theologian John Gill summed up the near-identical verse, Proverbs 12:11. He wrote:

Every man has his land to till, or some calling, work, or business, to be employed in, either civil or sacred; and it becomes him to be diligent therein, and such as are shall not want bread, but shall have a sufficiency of it.¹

Every person has his or her land to till. For some, like Adam, this is literal land. For others, this can be any number metaphorical fields like raising your children, going to work, or folding laundry.

Regardless of what your land is, you must till it. Notice the end goal is not endless leisure, travel, and mountains of cash at your disposal. Although these things might be attainable, they are worthless pursuits. You likely won't attain them, but even if you could they would feel empty and meaningless—a poverty worse than a lack of bread. For evidence, look to the writer of this Proverb, Solomon, who upon attaining untold wealth, faced a crisis of meaning, declaring "all is vanity …" (Ecc. 1:2). In the end, Solomon gave us his definition of the meaning of life: "Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man" (12:13).

Proverbs 28:19 reminds us that work is good, and everyone is commanded to work. But at the same time, the passage has a transcendent component. If fearing God is our ultimate land to till, then we work not for literal bread but for the bread of life. As Jesus said, "Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

Knowing this to be true, why do we chase after worthless fantasies? I can think of at least three reasons.

1. Working our own land seems boring.

The world has so many tantalizing experiences to offer, and tending to our responsibilities becomes routine. It's not flashy. It's not stimulating. Tilling our own land can seem boring.

2. Working our own land is too much work.

Instead of diligence, some seek out comfort. When the work gets too difficult, people are tempted to chase after worthless fantasies. These can take the form of get-rich-quick schemes which prey on the greedy and indolent.

3. Working our own land is too small.

This is where I struggle. I'm always thinking bigger, and tilling land seems so small. I want to change the world! I don't have time to work my land. But without taking care of business at home, thinking on a grander scale is really a worthless pursuit. This is not to discourage you from dreaming, but a reminder that, "if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tim. 5:8). And, as Jesus said, "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much" (Luke 16:10). Working your own land may seem little, but if you can't be faithful in the small things, you will fail when pursing loftier goals.

In the end, we all have our own land to till and God rewards the diligent, those who seek to understand what his will is for their lives and then put in the work to make it happen. These responsibilities aren't always flashy or sexy, but they could very well be a test or training for something bigger. But even if not, those who eliminate distractions and focus on their own land will not lack. Jesus said as much in his famous sermon on the mount. Preaching about worry, Jesus said not to be anxious about food and clothing. Instead, "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matt. 6:33).

Therefore be diligent in seeking God's will, and he will guide you. Put in the work he has laid before you and you shall never be in want.

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Notes:

1. Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible: Proverbs 12, BibleHub, accessed December 18, 2025, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/proverbs/12.htm.Back