Cutting Corners

I do this thing.  I think most would agree it's completely unnecessary, but I struggle with making any changes.

A perfect example is taking out the trash.  With just two of us in our house, we produce about one 15 gallon bag of trash per week between all of our cans.  Our dumpster we put out on the curb has the capacity to hold about 20 of those 15 gallon bags.  From this, any rational person could conclude it is only necessary to take the smelliest, fullest trash out to the dumpster, and it is only necessary to take the dumpster to the curb when it's nearing capacity.

Yet I struggle to do it.  In my book, when Tuesday comes around for our trash service to come by, every trash can in every room, whether its had any traffic recently or not, must be checked and emptied.  And when the sweep is complete, regardless of the number of bags and the cavernous space remaining in the dumpster, it must go to the curb.  Most readers are probably agreeing, this is simply unnecessary.  But I've often found myself responding, "that's just how I roll..."

Lately, as Christmas and year-end activities and reports begin to accelerate or accumulate, time becomes far more valuable and "of the essence."  My stress increases and the intensity of my workload grows.  This year Sarah, in her gentle wisdom, has been running a quiet campaign to address and release some of the intensity by promoting a corner cutting practice.

Of course, with my spry wit and accompanying angst, I respond to her suggestions of the idea saying "so you mean you want me to cheat God from getting my best."  If I were a little more head-strong, I could pursue this line and win.  But when Sarah speaks like this, a greater wisdom says shut up and listen.  Winning that conversation would most likely lose the war.  Sarah's advise is keen, precise, and insightful.

I may not be very good at following the rules, but when it comes to doing it "right" and to the greatest detail, I rarely if ever cut corners.  Am I cheating God if I start now?  Not necessarily.  We first need to consider how much we are cheating God by refusing to let any detail out of our control and attention.  How many times is our diligence born out of fear, causing us to worry that if we skip any single part or even just one step, the whole effort will undoubtedly fail?  How many times do we pour so much attention into the little things 99% of the rest world won't notice because we've convinced ourselves they are the only things that matter?  How many times have we put God back on the shelf so we have more time and energy to get our projects done?

Too many times, too often.  My focus verse for this latest season has become Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight."  I've shared with with many already.  In those simple lines, there is a ton of wisdom telling me to stop manipulating all the details, start submitting all I am working on to our Lord.  Only then will I actually stop cheating God of my best.

In other words, cut some corners.  We'll be blessed to see God taking care of more of the details.


More to come!


Jason <><