CUTTING CORNERS
I’m mowing the lawn. I’m looking at how big the lawn
looks and how small my mower looks. To add to the
frustration, I can’t take as much of a bite with the
mower as I’d like to because then it leaves this
little strip of grass that have not been mowed. I
revert to my childhood days when I would mow and know
that when dad came home he would be inspecting my
work. He knew when I was going too fast and cutting
corners and not doing a good job. And he knew when I
took the time to do it right.
It’s sort of like when I painted my house in Spencer,
IA. I had no excuses. I came from a lineage that
included a professional painter. I knew that I could
probably cut corners and most people would never
realize it. “Nobody will see it, so it won’t matter.”
Sound familiar? Painting the areas that can be seen
to the naked eye might look good, but the areas that
could not be seen could still rot and do damage. The
goal wasn’t just to see how fast the job could get
done. The goal was to do the job right.
It is no different for the Christian. When we cut
corners in our prayer life, devotional life, or
fellowship life, we will ultimately see where damage
has occurred. I can cut corners by attending church
but not Bible class. I can cut corners by saying that
my church was watching TV rather than attending
worship. I can cut corners by ignoring the problem
rather than confronting the issue. I can cut corners
by saying my faith applies to what I say I believe in,
but not to the vulgarity in my everyday language. I
can cut corners by putting off until tomorrow what I
know needs to be done today. I can cut corners by
assuming that the people I love already know it even
though I never actually say the words. The lists go
on and on.
The greatest reason to avoid cutting corners is
because of who set the greatest example ever for us.
God’s son, Jesus Christ, was not allowed to cut
corners. He knew he had a tough job ahead of him, and
that it would include a detailed picture of
expectations and requirements that would lead to doom
and failure for all mankind if He cut corners.
Because Jesus took the time and became the sacrifice
in order to do the job right…the job that we could not
do ourselves…we are now a part of His bloodline. That
bloodline comes from the cross and forgiveness of
sins. Because of Jesus, my lineage includes someone
who set the example of doing the job right and not
cutting corners…and so are you.
Romans 8:1-4…take the time to look it up.
William Hiskey
Director of Youth Ministries at First English Lutheran Church in Spencer, IA.
Updated: 9-23-04
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