A Stitch in Time

Most of us spend a good part of our lives watching TV or listening to the radio.  Often the programmes that we enjoy are interrupted by advertising.  At the end of June, the time is coming when we will see advertisements for department stores, which may well begin, “School’s out!”.  Such an announcement will be followed up by the invitation to “do your ‘back to school’ shopping now, so you can holiday with peace of mind.”

Last time I saw such an advert, my mind went back to my days as a parent of young children and, with some cynicism, I told the screen, “not if the little perishers grow in the meantime!”  To buy clothes in June, only to find by late August that they’re too small, would be folly indeed, and far from giving peace of mind.

How typical this is of our whole lifestyle in the 21st century.  We try to pull things out of season, whether shopping for certain goods before we really need them, treating children as ‘little adults’, or simply wanting fresh fruit and vegetables on our shelves all the year round.  The success of these strategies is only ever partial; at best it’s only short-term, and it can often be completely transitory or illusory.

Many centuries ago, a philosopher wrote, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, KJV).  There is a right time for every aspect of life, and the writer tells us that this was part of God’s plan.  All the topics covered by the succeeding verses are appropriate at certain times.  The secret to finding peace – and with it, satisfaction – is to discover, accept and conform to God’s timing for them.  If we follow this, all well and good; if not, we shouldn’t be surprised when things go wrong,

Whether it is buying too soon for a new school year, seeking produce that has ripened on the other side of the world, or making a major purchase on credit before we can properly afford it, we do these things at our own peril.  Often the repercussions of our actions impinge upon the lives of others as well as, or instead of ourselves, and it’s only after suffering the consequences, directly or indirectly, large or small, that we can look back and see the error of our ways.

In due time, says the philosopher, God will judge everything: good or bad (v.17).  It’s a warning we would do well to heed – even though it was made so long ago – because (to paraphrase his words) “what goes around, comes around” (v.15).

Cluttered

I think my beard must be over thirty years old, maybe a little more.  I’ll never forget my astonishment when the lady in the works canteen told me that it made me look younger!  I didn’t believe her then and, however many times I’ve thought of it since, I still don’t understand what she meant.

One thing I do recognise, though, is the need to keep it trimmed and tidy ... and that’s not just for appearance’s sake.  I remember a time when I acceded to a request to stop shaving and let it grow down my throat, and a time when I just didn’t bother to trim it at all, wondering just how long it would grow.  There have also been times when I’ve gone for ages without having a haircut.

In each case, there was a sense of being uncomfortable, feeling scruffy ... almost unwelcome in 'polite' company, like a tramp.  Eventually, what some would call common sense prevailed, and, instead of the untidyness, I knew the refreshment of being neatly trimmed again, a positive feeling of being crisp.  It was as if my cutting edge had been restored and I could once more command the world around me; I was ready again to tackle whatever life would throw at me.

I think there’s a strong parallel between these experiences and losing contact with God.  I’ve been fortunate that that’s something I’ve never known.  There were times when I rebelled – who hasn’t? – but it was a rebellion against a church, or a way of worship, or some aspect of discipline with which I disagreed; never against God Himself.

Rebellion isn’t the only cause of loss of contact with God, though.  Two particular parables that Jesus told come to mind.  These can both be found in Matthew’s gospel, chapter 13.  First, there was the story of seed sown in four types of soil, representing four different responses to the Good News of salvation that Jesus brought and taught.  One of these was the seed that was sown among thorns.  He explained that “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.” (v.22).

In the second parable, good seed was sown and started to grow; then weeds appeared around it, their tendrils becoming so entangled with the wheat that to pull them out would endanger the wheat as well (vv.22-29).  It is good for Christians to be involved with the world around us.  But there is always the risk that our involvement with those interests apart from our faith can eat into our lives to the extent that our attendance at church (where we can receive teaching, enjoy fellowship and where our spiritual store can be replenished) becomes intermittent.  Life gets to a stage where our daily pattern of personal prayer and Bible reading is threatened ... or perhaps never happens at all. 

Unless we take matters into our own hands, responding to God’s never-failing call,  or asking for a friend to pray for us, the result can simply be that God is squeezed out completely.  Remember that He doesn’t force Himself upon us: “I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door ...” (Rev. 3:20).  It’s for us to respond to His call.  If we choose not to do so, the loss – and the responsibility for it – is our own.

Next time you see a man with a beard, be it a ‘full set’ or just designer stubble, remember the story of my scruffiness; remember what it stood for in this posting, and ask yourself, “Is there some clutter in my life that needs to be tidied up or cleared away?”