“A One Track Mind”

Have you ever been accused of having a one track mind? I can still hear that phrase ringing in my ears as it has been uttered by my parents, my teachers, and now my wife. It is true that I can get my mind set on something and become consumed with the pursuit of that one thing. However, I have recently been asking myself the question, “Just because I have a tendency to have a one track mind, does that also mean I am single-minded?” If I am honest with myself, I am not sure the answer is yes. Unfortunately, I believe the same can be said for most of us.

If there was ever a common denominator that joins believers it is that we all seem to have a problem with being single- minded. I am not entirely sure it is our fault. We have been trained to multi-task. We are inundated with continually changing visual stimulation on TV to the tune of a new scene every 7 seconds. We are bombarded with technology that clamors for our continually diminishing attention span. We have thousands of voices shouting for our attention on a daily basis. That is where the problem begins. James declares in 1:8 that “a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.” One commentary says that the concept of double minded actually means “double-souled”. How can you trust God with all of your heart, mind, and soul if you are distracted by the pursuit of so many other things? How can you sell out to the will and purpose of God for your life if so many other voices win your attention and your allegiance? I must ask, “Who has the loudest voice in your life?” What or who is causing you to be split souled to the point that you can’t obey, sacrifice, follow, or depend completely on God?

Having a one track mind can irritate people. I am not even sure it is healthy. However, I am sure that we need to become single-minded. We have become stuck in apathy. We have become rooted in lack of action. We have become entrenched in slow response. We have become marked by missed opportunities. All of this has happened because we have become distracted by distractions. The remedy is to filter through all the voices and push away all but that all important still small voice. We must become single-minded once again.

In Greek mythology, Sirens were part human, part bird. The Sirens lived on a rocky island in the middle of the sea, possibly near Italy. They sang melodies so beautiful that sailors passing by couldn't resist getting closer to them. Following the sound of music, the sailors would steer their boats towards them or jump in the water to get closer. Either way, it always ended in disaster on the rocks. There are only two stories of men resisting the Sirens. In the story Odyssey, Odysseus ordered his men to put beeswax in their ears so they couldn't hear the music as they sailed by. His men tied Odysseus to the ship's mast so he could hear the enchanting tunes but wouldn't be able to swim ashore. Jason and the Argonauts were also saved because they had Orpheus (a talented musician) on board with them. He played music that was even more beautiful so the men hardly heard the sound of the Sirens.

I am not asking you to stick your head in the sand and ignore what is going on around you. In fact, Scripture implores us to be people who understand the day, the generation, and the culture in which we live. I am, however, encouraging you to daily stick your fingers in your ears and tune in to the sweetest and most beautiful voice you can ever hear, HIS!