Edging and a Straight Line

Yesterday, after concluding all of the financial business for the church & food program my mind was oatmeal. Our bookkeeper is great because she keeps us on our toes. When some receipts are missing, I end up listing to one side while sitting after she’s done with me…if you catch my drift. It is usually standard practice to go sit in my quiet place or go for a ride to relax my brain. Unfortunately that was not the plan for this day!

I arrived home and the realization hit me; I was the one that would be doing the "edging” of my daughters recently painted room. One would have thought that tape, with its straight edge would most likely create a strait line…one would be wrong despite the commercials that say otherwise! The room’s lines had more rough edges & curves than the Kardashian family as a whole.

I began the task with devices that promised a straight line as seen on TV. They didn’t! I then began the tedious process of trying to freehand them. After my time in the office my hand eye coordination was as good as Charlie Sheen’s while on a bender. It is here my mind began to wonder.

Why do we work so hard at creating a straight line? If life were like that I could get it, but it isn’t! Here is the dichotomy of the situation in life as well as in faith. How many of us grew up in a faith system which demanded a straight line?  Leaders portrayed the rigorous living up to & walking this straight line. Until their line didn’t look so straight, then the “Nobody’s Perfect” or “We’re all sinners” quote came forth. It was also implied here that no matter how non-straight a leader’s line may appear in this instance, it was still straighter than yours will ever be!

Oh to have been taught the truth that all of the lines lived here have rough edges and curves except one, Jesus. To have known that "try as you might" to freehand your lines to be straight, it’s an impossibility. Life Happens! Yet into these crooked lives of ours we are offered help from a steady hand to straighten out our edges. Not to just make a straight line by a scheme or program mind you, but to freehand them out of our rough & curvy edges. A promise to do anything else is just another add claiming tape will leave the line straight.

I have found in edging my daughters room as in faith it takes time for some edges to just get curvy while others seem to straighten out quite easily. My hope is that we will be patient during this process. Our Father has a steady hand and uses strokes I like to call Mercy, Forgiveness & Loving-kindness. When I look, I keep seeing my not-so-straight lines, yet I know the Master Painter sees them as straight. After all I’m a new creation, His. Now if I can just get that one corner perfect in my daughter’s room I’ll be done! Ready for some more edging?

Think About It,

Just Steve