One Piece at a Time

Proverbs 24:27 ESV

Prepare your work outside;

Get everything ready for yourself in the field,

And after that build your house.

It was hot, the zap all your strength out of you and put you to sleep, kind of heat. The windows on the truck were down but did not seem to get the air out like it should mostly because “They just don’t make them like they used to.” It is true, my old ’62 Ford F-100 complete with window vents and floor vents quickly circulated air. The new simply was not designed to circulate outside air, the air-conditioner was supposed to work! The new vehicle was designed with different ends in mind. When it is not designed for the old circumstances, it simply does not work as well. This was one of my many conversations with the young woman who had chosen to spend the day with me instead of butterfly tagging with her mom and siblings. It was her turn and she had the first right of refusal. She chose to help a friend split wood, and repair/ build equipment for his grandkids to enjoy, and talk theology. I even refused to allow her to bring a book to read, she had to talk with me for the two hours there and the three hours back, in the heat, and yet she still chose to go this morning with me.

What did I do today? Talked with a young woman about the pain of divorce, and how it does not end when a new marriage comes along. How it lingers in the broken hearts of children for decades even after forgiveness comes, scars remain after healing has occurred, and they may never fade away completely. We talked of children and how many a young girl thinks she wants. The frustrations her parents have finding houses and cars big enough seemed to be a determining factor in her number, this was a stern rebuke to me of what fruit may come from my disgruntled, complaining tongue. An afternoon of divine appointments outside of Sam’s Club talking of the fall of civilization or hopefully only its downgrade.

What was done today? Life was lived and sown into. The faith was slowly passed from one immortal soul to another. “How do you eat an elephant?” the joke goes, “one piece at a time”. This is how discipleship is done. One moment at a time, over and over again until eventually the elephant has been eaten. Talking of nothing and everything for all things are under the dominion of God’s chosen people. As you chose to walk with other Christians realize that Jesus spent a lot of mundane trips walking dirt roads with his disciples before they saw him walk on water. They were late for many meals before he fed the five thousand.

It is easy to want to jump to the end. To build the house then work the fields. The work of discipleship must be done before the joy of fellowship bears fruit. It is easy to think you can build your house and enjoy it and forget that the joyful Christian fellowship we read of in Acts was built on the work of opening homes to one another and breaking bread with one another “day by day” (Acts 2:46). Casual daily discipleship is work. Do the work.

Coram Deo