All of us have known people that got off to a good start, but somewhere along the journey they got off the path and ended up in a place they never wanted to be.  What causes this to happen?  What influence gets us to stop following the best path and go after a dead end street? 

God knows what causes us to get sidetracked, lose focus and trade a life headed for good things for a life filled with regret.  Over and over He warns us of this danger, and in today’s reading of the One Year Bible it’s found in Leviticus 18.  It’s our attention.  Whatever gets our attention gets our life, because that is the direction we move.

In 1982 the direction of my life radically changed when I saw a girl that captured my attention.  I thought I had gone to her church for a job interview for a youth pastor position, but once I saw her, I wasn’t as concerned about that anymore.  That girl became my wife, but my point is that whatever grabs our attention changes our direction.  Oh, and I got the job also! 🙂

God tells His people in Leviticus, “You are going into this new land, with new cultures and you must not do as they do!”  In other words, don’t get distracted by others around you and begin to say, “Maybe I’m missing out on something and should try what they’re doing.”  Later we see the cost of doing this as the people of Israel, like many of us, decide to take a detour on the road to success. 

Already, you can probably think of past exits that you have taken on life’s journey that has led to regret and sorrow.  What or who is trying to grab your attention right now?  Follow God’s advice and don’t do what others do that are on a dead end path.  Instead, make a new resolve to keep more focused on the path of principles that are proven to end in success.