Page 34 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 6 July 2024

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

DISTRACTION OR DEFENCE?

B Y PETER S T OFFBERG

f outdoor adventures are your thing, then like me,
you probably enjoy visiting outdoor equipment
stores. It’s not just the cool stuff in there, it’s also
Ithe people who demonstrate and sell it. I recently
witnessed a sales presentation of a non-lethal self-
defence weapon that can incapacitate attackers with
chemical irritants delivered by high velocity projectiles.
The salesperson was enthralling and I found myself
hoping for a demonstration. That never happened, and
it’s probably just as well.

These devices are ingenious, but my fascination with
them was disrupted by a sombre reflection on the
current social climate responsible for the surge in their
popularity. Intrigue and amusement gave way to a
familiar contemplation of the sad state of our world. One
minute I’m enjoying the exuberant salesperson and the
ingenuity of the product he’s presenting, and the next I’m
despairing at the world. Perhaps my joy was just a brief
distraction.

This probably happens because of the sheer volume
of negative news we’re bombarded with. We’re
living in tough times and our thoughts automatically
gravitate towards the constant threats delivered by the
media. These mingle with the challenges of our own
circumstances and this chain of thoughts pushes us
under the dark cloud of anxiety. Does this ever happen
to you? Perhaps it’s just me, but if you know this cloud,
then may I suggest that we don’t have to stay under it? ON SITE SUNDAY SERVICES @ 9h30
www.familychurch.online
It involves another ingenious self-defence mechanism
that’s found in bombardier beetles. They can blast a DAINFERN COLLEGE AUDITORIUM
foul-smelling caustic irritant at nearly ten metres a
second. This custom-made tear gas is heated to boiling
point and fired in bursts at more than five hundred of every human being, including ourselves. Then we
times a second. Incredibly, they do all this without can meditate on the work He’s put into creating each of
blowing themselves up. I’d pay good money to watch us for a very specific purpose, and get on with enjoying
the aforementioned salesperson’s presentation on this fulfilling that purpose.
design. We can marvel at the brilliance of it, but what
about the Designer? Here’s where we can choose our The Bible assures us of God’s love for us. The life, death
chain of thought. and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, proves that He is in
control and can turn any situation around to achieve His
If we choose to contemplate the brilliance of the purpose. The God that designed the bombardier beetle,
Designer of something like this little beetle, we can designed us and has planned our purpose.
marvel at the even more amazing purpose and beauty
We may not always know what our purpose looks like,
but we can choose to focus on, and trust in the One
who has determined it. This chain of thought isn’t a
distraction, it’s the truth and a wonderful defence.
Anxiety is the distraction, and we can choose not to live
under its cloud.

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32 DPL issue 6 2024