It's important to avoid distractions when you're doing a job. I serve as an usher at our church on Sunday nights. Tonight I arrived there early enough to get the trash from the afternoon service out and make sure that the sanctuary was presentable for the service at 6:30. I had time to fold the bulletins and do a few other things before people started to filter in and I began to greet them.

At one point during the worship service preceding the study, I heard a tremendous racket from somewhere, and people in the service started to look around while they were singing. I left my position at the foyer entrance and went in search of the source of the noise. It didn't take long, as the noise started up again and around the hallway from the sanctuary I found one of my brothers running a hammer drill to install some molly bolts for the purpose of hanging a notice of some sort about the Dead Sea Scrolls and a current exhibit.

I politely told him that it was making a bit too much noise for the service next door. He said that he was done with the noise maker and finished his job quietly and I went back to the front door.

When I reached the front door, a young woman I know was just being let in by a teenage boy from the high school group who had just happened by. There was snow on the ground outside and it was very cold. The young woman, Michelle was in an auto accident some years ago which has left her impaired physically. It takes a great effort for her to walk some days, and she has a halting manner of speech. She knows me though, so she felt free to chastise me.

"You left your post!" she exclaimed. "I was standing out there and I couldn't get the door open." I looked at her chilly hands and saw that they were clenched in reaction to the cold. I told her I was sorry, and asked her to allow me to get the sanctuary door for her. She is a case. I love her, but she really did need help to get the door open.

It goes like that sometimes. If I had not been so concerned about the noise, which was already over, I wouldn't have, "left my post," and I would've been there to help Michelle. But what of those inside who were being distracted from placing their priority of worship on God. I'm glad the young boy came along to let Michelle in.

This may seem like a small thing, but sometimes you have to act, and trust the Holy Spirit to fill in any discrepancy between the action you undertake in His name, and the action you should be taking.