Recreational Distraction

It might be seen by some as a form of "recreation", but I find it interesting that another term used for marijuana is “weed”, and that one of the problems Jesus brings up in his parable of the sower is that the seed – the word of God – fell among the thorns, which are also a “weed”!

As marijuana use is gaining acceptance and more people are seeing it as a harmless and even a “recreational” drug, I think it is important that we realize that even those things we see as harmless forms of recreation can have a very negative impact on us spiritually.

I was talking with a young man named Brycen, who grew up in a churchgoing family and seemed to have some knowledge of the Gospel, but who I would characterize as being like the seeds sown among the thorns. He has become very distracted by the things of the world to the point that he had forgotten the faith he grew up in and that has meant so much to him earlier in life. And one of those distractions was indeed the “weed” that he has used recreationally to the point that he has forgotten about what is truly important in life.

In fact, Brycen told me about two events in his life that seemed to have had a deep impact on him spiritually, both of which happened while he was indulging in his favorite recreational habit, and which seemed to have been soon forgotten as a result of this distraction. I believe God was getting his attention both times, but Brycen was distracted to the point that only a stranger at the grocery store could help revive the memory years later.

We can point fingers on this as strictly a problem of marijuana use, but isn’t this also a danger of all forms of recreation? Too much of anything is too much, and too much tv, web surfing, card playing, ball playing, exercising, socializing – you name it – all can inhibit God’s word in our lives like Jesus described in his parable: “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

Recreation can be a gift of God, but it can also be a distraction from the devil. Let’s not let it choke out the good work of God’s word in our lives.