Signal-to-Noise Ratio

I have the fortune [some may disagree] of living a mile and a half walk from the US Capitol, which last week saw an attempt to subvert the democratic process of counting the ballots.

In conversations with friends, a theme that kept bubbling to the surface was that of ‘distraction’, of how difficult it was to stay focused on work, projects, whatever simply because the noise of the moment was so intrusive.  

The phrase “signal-to-noise ratio” immediately came to mind. Signal-to-noise ratio is a measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. Those of us who are older remember having to actually tune a radio so that the signal was clear.

What is our “signal”?  I think of 2 scriptures:

• John 6:67-68 - So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”  Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

• Heb 12:1-2 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

He is our signal. We must, when the din begins encroaching, go listen to Him.  He alone will suffice to cancel out the noise around us and keep us on point.

We learned once again last week that words matter. For us as followers of Jesus, His words matter most.