On the same stretch of Interstate that I’ve traveled for years, I noticed something I had never noticed before. There was a billboard, and I don’t recall what the advertisement was. What caught my attention were all the sheep grazing underneath this massive billboard. I have driven these roads countless times and have never noticed before that there was a pasture full of sheep.

This scene of sheep next to a huge billboard reminded me how easily we can be swayed by the advice thrown at us. We can be inundated with so much advice and information, which can be such a distraction.

I don’t remember what was on the billboard. I remember the sheep, though.

There are advertisements and information everywhere, and if you’re like me, you may be experiencing information overload. Of course, the sheep I noticed didn’t have a care in the world about that billboard.

On my drive that day, it was the sheep that reminded me of a few things.

Sheep go astray. We can, too.

But these sheep were not paying attention to the billboard. We, too, can choose what we focus on.

Jesus is the Shepherd of His people, and so, as believers, we’re often described as sheep. Sheep can go astray sometimes. And all the messaging and maybe even a billboard can get us distracted. Messages, reels, advertisements, videos – there is so much. And blogs. (From the bottom of my heart, I am glad you’re here).

“Know that the LORD, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His, we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:3

Jesus always finds us.

Life circumstances may lead us down a winding road that seems never-ending. Something that we read on social media may cause our minds to stray from the truth and into doubt. Too much information may distract us from what matters most.

Whatever it may be, we can always choose Jesus. Jesus never leaves. He is always right there. He is there, too, if we need to talk out the overload with Him. The most practical and loving advice we will ever receive is from Jesus.

I’d like to leave you with some questions to consider over the next day or two.

1. What’s one thing that is distracting you?

2. What advice does Jesus want to give you?

To get started, I’ll answer the questions myself here. What has been distracting me? Lately, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. It’s not so much that my calendar is full. It’s more so that my mind can be filled with too much. There is so much happening in the world, and I realized that I needed to quiet some of it to focus. I am finding ways to reduce the noise from my phone and take time to reflect on the deeper questions within my soul. Dwelling in these depths allows me to see beyond the “billboards” I encounter every day.

What advice would Jesus give me today? I keep going back to what Jesus says in Matthew 6.

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

I keep picturing those sheep gathered around the billboard. I don’t need everything advertised on the billboard. I just need some time in the secret place. I want to gather at the table with Jesus. He always meets me there, and He meets you there, too.

Our Redeemer, Jesus, is our way, truth, and life. He has made room for us. He takes us to new places, greater places within our hearts. We don’t have to be distracted by the billboards in life. We have new places to be.