|
“Daylight Savings Distraction”
In just a few days, Daylight Saving Time returns. We will set our clocks forward one hour, losing an hour of sleep but gaining a little more evening sunlight. When Daylight Saving Time was first introduced during World War I in 1918, the idea was to conserve fuel by extending daylight hours and reducing the need for artificial light at night.
Whether it still accomplishes that goal is debated, but one thing is certain. If anyone suggested we stop changing the clocks twice a year, there would be plenty of pushback. We are creatures of habit. We like things to stay the same, even if that means adjusting twice a year.
One amusing reality of Daylight Saving Time is that it happens on a Saturday night. Almost every year, some innocent and well-meaning churchgoer forgets to change the clock. We will see someone walking up the brick path thinking they are early enough to catch the beautiful pre-service music and the announcements, only to realize the congregation is already into our closing refrain of "Let There Be Peace On Earth."
It will happen. It always does.
When you see it, resist the urge to laugh. If the roles were reversed, you would not want to be the subject of gentle humor. The world is not perfect. People make mistakes, and pointing out what someone already knows rarely helps. In fact, the embarrassment and hurt they feel are probably enough.
If you feel compelled to say something, you might jokingly tell them the sermon was too long, and the music was not very good. Of course, they will know that is not true. The music is always wonderful, and Brock (almost) never preaches too long.
Have you caught on yet? This article is intended to be a gentle distraction. Larger anxieties can consume all of our attention. We fixate on what we might miss, what could go wrong, or what we’re supposed to do.
Maybe the goal this week is to loosen our grip a little. To smile at the small things. To remember that even when we lose an hour of sleep, we gain a little more light. God has not left the building. In fact, God is about to have even more daylight with which to work. Maybe that will help.
Where do we need to refocus? Where do we need to dream again? As we focus on our dreams, don’t forget to adjust the clock. We don’t want to miss out on the dreams ahead of us.
God bless,
Brock
| 
