The Lawnmower

… thoroughly equipped for every good work

2 Timothy 3:17

Once again, I hacked my way through the lengthening grass with my ageing lawnmower. It was hard work going back and forth over the same areas until it resembled something like a decent finish. By the time I’d done, I was tired out.

Why am I persevering with this old mower? I thought. And it dawned on me, I liked the old mower. It had served me for 21 years, faithfully manicuring our various lawns. It was my familiar friend.

But I was in denial; it was really well past its best and doing more damage to my turf than helping it these days. It had to go. And what joy I felt as the new mower sliced effortlessly through the lawn, leaving smart stripes in its wake – and in half the time it used to take me. Why hadn’t I changed it sooner?

The tools for effective Christian living are like that mower – they must be sharp, well maintained and bang up to date. The faith I had for a particular breakthrough 21 years ago, is insufficient for today. The ‘now word’ God gave me for a situation 15 years ago is little use for today’s challenge. I need fresh faith, rooted in a fresh Word that flows from my walk with Jesus today.

Stay sharp. And if your spiritual ‘tools’ are getting blunt or have become patterns devoid of living faith, immerse yourself in God and His Word afresh today, because it was given ‘so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work’ (2 Tim 3:17).

#lifeisaparable