31Mar
Many years ago, I read about a man who purchased a house which backed up to a forest. As an avid hiker his enthusiasm about having the new house was exponentially increased as he envisioned exploring the vast expanse of woodlands. As quickly as possible he and his family settled into their new home. With a palpable sense of anticipation, he thought, “Tomorrow, the adventure begins.” The sights, sounds, and smells of the forest in his backyard were calling to him.
On the next morning, with childlike anticipation he headed into the woods. He had only gone a few dozen yards following what he suspected was an animal trail when he saw it. Its grotesque alien form revolted him. A five-foot-high tangle of old rusty barbwire. With visceral repulsion, he excoriated the pillager of his beautiful forest. Each day as he passed the ball of wire, his wound of resentment was reopened. Its presence attacked both the beginning and the conclusion of each day’s forage.
After many days of simmering resentment, an idea bloomed. He took a detour through his garage on his way to press further into the promised land. On the return trip he stopped at the joy sucking structure and using the wire cutters he had grabbed, he removed one foot of barbwire. Dad after day her repeated his new discipline. The first week, he wondered if it was a futile effort. The beauty destroying monster was so large. In just a few weeks, one foot of wire a day had disintegrated the defiler of the woods.
I don’t know the source of the following little maxim, but it often reminds me to chip away, bit by bit, at those things that loom large in my life. “If I always do as I’ve always done, then I’ll always be as I’ve always been.” The accumulation of small changes produces big results. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
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