If
you read my article a while ago you will remember that I learned from
mowing that I can't do things on my own. Well, yesterday I was mowing
again and realized there are lots of lessons to learn from mowing.
First, the neighbor can finish mowing his whole yard before I'm done
with the back yard. In my defense, he does have a smaller yard and
was using a rider while I was using a push mower. Second, when you
have a dog that you don't clean up after, you need to watch out for
the fresh “bombs”! Third, dogs (at least ours) are very trusting
(or dumb). She would lay down in the yard a couple feet away from the
mower. Fourth, my mowing pattern is sporadic, but organized. And the
last thing I learned yesterday is I don't mow straight! I also don't
cut straight with scissors and probably don't drive straight! Well,
with the crooked mowing it got me to thinking about the paths
mentioned in the Bible. I was first thinking about the crooked and
straight paths that are talked about in the book of Proverbs. But,
then I thought more about the narrow path that is talked about in
Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate
and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many
who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way
which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” As I was
mowing I was thinking about how my path was a little curvy. It wasn't
real bad, but it wasn't straight. I thought about how my path of life
hasn't always been straight and I haven't always chosen to go down
the narrow path. I chose to follow Christ at the age of 8, but there
have been times when my life hasnt' shown that. I am not perfect (I
know that shocks many of you!). I have been redeemed by the One who
is perfect, but He still gives me the freedom to make choices. I
don't always make the right one. When you read these verses in
Matthew it tells us that the broad bath leads to destruction. It goes
on to say to watch out for the false prophets that “dress in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves”. These are
the people that will lead us down those broad paths and to
destruction.
Now
as I go down the narrow path I realize my path isn't always
completely
straight. Like my mowing (cutting with scissors or
driving) there are a few curves to my path. I can go days making
right choices all day long, but then there are days that I let a bad
attitude, wrong thoughts, or other sins into my life. That's when my
path curves...I get off track just a little. Those are the times I
have to turn to God and ask for forgiveness so that I can get back on
the straight and narrow path.
