The Grass Actually Is Greener

I love mowing my lawn. It is therapeutic for me. On most Mondays, I put on a pair of headphones blasting something good (The Autumn Film, MuteMath, Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology), fill up the weed-whacker and the mower with gas, and get to work. My yard is not actually that big, but our house is right next to our neighborhood greenbelt, so I end up mowing more than I need to. I've been living at my current house for 6 years, and the lawn has been improving each and every year.

Last week, when I mowed the lawn, I tried a new pattern: diagonal stripes instead of the usual horizontal. I was meticulous, thorough, and altogether obsessive-compulsive. The quality was major-league-ballfield-worthy. When I was finished, I was overcome with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment.

(Side note: some sort of philosophical, spiritual diatribe about feeling a good and healthy sense of pride as opposed to the sinful, selfish kind of pride...I dunno, just something...)

As ridiculous as it sounds, I found myself walking over to the window and admiring my lawn for the next 2 days. I just loved looking at the lines! (You are all concerned for my sanity, right now, huh?) I think I drove my wife nuts with my continual self-congratulating trips to the window so as to admire my work. She loves me in spite of my insanity.

I was perfectly content to be proud of my own work, with no accolades from anyone else. My lawn is between God and me. However, yesterday, a letter arrived in the mail from my homeowner's association.

I don't really have any reason to share this with you other than to allow you to share in my joy. My wife was incredibly embarrassed at my dancing, whooping, and fist-pumping when I received this letter. You would have thought that I'd won the lottery.

A Quick Word For The Quran Burners

I know it's not easy, but this is the call from our Lord Jesus the Christ: give love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness where it is least expected. Of course you're angry about Islamic violence. Of course you desire to do something to make them feel pain the way you have. Of course you're frustrated by the feeling that your own religious liberties are being trampled on. But, as Jesus instructs, it doesn't do you ANY good at all to take matters into your own hands. This is not the way of Jesus. Listen to his sermon from almost 2 millennia ago:

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

(Luke 6:27-36 ESV)