Growing up in the Friday Night Lights era of West Texas brought many of the benefits we all think of: high school football games, church potlucks, friendly neighbors, and grasshoppers living for a day or two in an old shoe box on my dresser. With all the great benefits came a few costs too.
Our house sat at the dead end of a cul-de-sac, and while it was modest in size, the property lines were drawn in such a way that Bill Gates would have had ample room to build a palatial homestead. West Texas summers brought hot, dry, miserable days of circling the property behind a mower, cutting down Bermuda grass that was determined to be back just as long every single week.
Dad took tremendous pride in his lawn and, despite my constant protest, insisted that I get up early every Monday before the temperature reached three digits to spend a few hours giving it a manicure. He would wake me up early each week before heading to work, but typically I would procrastinate and stretch it out for hours making it more miserable and harder than it ever had to be. One particular week, I decided it really wasn’t necessary to do it at all, so I slept in and chose Bob Barker over obedience. Around 10:30 in the morning the phone rang. It was Dad.
“Son, I’m only going to tell you this one more time. Go mow the lawn. Now.”
I went out and gassed up the mower, but I was mad. This was stupid, I thought to myself, and I had more important things to do. So instead of mowing in a big square like I was taught, I decided I could do it however I wanted.
I started the mower and pushed it through the backyard zigging and zagging my way in circles and loops leaving huge patches and dots of grass everywhere. After 30 minutes of haphazard effort, I killed the motor and looked around.
What I had created was a bigger mess than when I started.
Had I been obedient, the lawn would have already been completely cut and attractive. Instead, it now was a glaring example of half-hearted effort, approach, or planning.
My earthly father was up early and home late each night providing for his family and asked me to do my part of the household chores. By taking a simple task lightly, I created a bigger eyesore of the yard than what was already there. My dad didn’t kick me to the curb when I messed up, but there were explicit directions for those living in his house.
Our Heavenly Father has also asked those of us who live in His house to approach discipleship with the understanding and willingness required to complete the entire task. In other words, if we truly learn of His love and mercy our heart will prompt us to act accordingly.
“28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him.” {Luke 14:28-29, ESV}
Christians are the mouthpieces and the standard-bearers of the Father to the unsaved world.
We are the Church and our work is a reflection of Him. Would we build a house by piling wooden beams and sheet rock on a foundation and then walk away? Of course we wouldn’t. The effort would be wasted in creating something uglier than had we never started. In the same way, when we approach discipleship with bad attitudes, poor planning, and haphazard effort, we create a blemish in the eyes of the world that is far more negative than anything that existed prior to our half-hearted effort.
For example, how often do you see the world with negative and resistant attitudes to Christ because of the lackluster effort put forth in living righteously by those claiming to be His followers?
The true test of the condition of your discipleship of Christ’s teachings is the way in which your actions play out daily.
Are you truly ready to take up your cross and follow him or do you mow His yard how, when, and where you choose?
The world is watching the example that we set to form its opinion not only of our “religion,” but our Savior. Just as the enemy is barred from eliminating the price Jesus paid for our birthright, neither do we have the right to negotiate the terms under which we follow His lead and work in His fields.
If you want to live in His house, be ready to work in His yard.
*Photo credit: brendan-c
