Temperance And A Dairy
“…temperate, faithful in all things.” - I Timothy 3:11
A GREAT IDEA!
Having fun is great. But have you ever been having so much fun that you took it too far and got yourself into trouble? I have, especially one unforgettable day. Unusually hard rains had caused our local California “river” to swell from its normal 6-feet-wide 6-inch depth to over 100 feet and 10 feet deep! Amazing!
The stormy weather abruptly ended and was followed by sunny 80 degree days. Passing the river as I drove home from work, I got inspired. Why not float it? Great idea! I called a few friends and set it up for the next day.
The next morning was beautiful. we drove to a local gas station and inflated six giant-sized inner tubes. We found the push-off point, passed out the tubes and took off.
Oh, it was nice! Balmy weather, some good friends, a huge bag of snacks, deep blue skies and a nice river ride. In dry San Diego County, too. Amazing again!
TOO MUCH FUN!
For an hour, we lazily floated down the calm, reed-and-willow lined waters. It was even better than I had imagined. Then we came to a trail on the south side of the river. “Should we get out?” shouted a friend.
“Nah,” I yelled back, “Head down past the bridge. There’s another trail down there. We might as well enjoy the ride for all it’s worth!” Famous last words.
The next thirty minutes were nice, but a little tense. I thought there was another way off the river, but all the vegetation on both sides had grown thick—really thick. After passing under the fifty-foot tall old concrete bridge and continuing another half-mile, I finally saw an opening. “Head for the side!” I signaled as I pointed to a barely visible trail on the south side of the river.
Everyone eagerly complied—they were more worried than I was about finding a take-out point. Once on shore, we grabbed our tubes and pushed our way through the too-narrow path single file. It was slippery and scratchy, but no one cared—we were happy just to be on our way.
Everything went according to plan the first hundred feet. Then we broke through the vegetation to a smooth stretch where the only barrier between us and the road was barren dirt for 200 feet. After a brief walk, we’d be back to the van and quickly home for a nice warm shower. Great!…ehhh…maybe not….☹
MUCK CITY
My first step in the “field” was disastrous. My foot sank in twelve inches! I pulled it out with a great sucking wheeze and an awful putrid odor. “Oh no,” I groaned, “It’s the old dairy.” I had forgotten all about it. Before us stretched not just a field but a field that had been home to hundreds of dairy cows for decades. To make matters worse, it had been watered and softened substantially by the weeks of rain. The anaerobic bacteria had taken over and boy did it stink!
We were stuck. There was no other way to the road except to trudge through the stinking muck.
By the time we reached the other side, everyone was slimed from the knees down. We tried cleaning off with our towels, but without water, there was no way of removing the muck’s residue. I heard my share of I wish we’d quit sooner’s as I drove home. Needless to say, I wasn’t everyone’s favorite friend.
After a good shower and a week or so had passed, vengeance faded from everyone’s mind, and we all had a good laugh. As I thought about the whole experience, I learned a new angle on I Timothy 3:11 “…be temperate, faithful in all things.”
The word temperate means “a state of mind which is free from the excessive influence of passion, lust or emotion.” It refers to a person who places voluntary limitations on his freedom—the opposite of what I did. God gave us a beautiful time floating down the river, but then I stretched it too far and caused unnecessary problems—stinky ones at that!
Having fun is not the only area where we can overdo it. We can excess in work, too. Overdoing it in any area isn’t good. God’s way is found in the place of perfect balance.
MARY: A GOOD CHOICE
Luke 10:38- 42 tells the famous story of two sisters who invited Jesus into their home. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, enjoying Him and learning important lessons that He desired to teach her. Martha, on the other hand, was caught up in all her ideas of what needed to be done.
Marha’s passion to have all the externals just right caused her to miss spending time with the One who mattered more than everything on earth. She was worried about many things that were her ideas of what needed to be done. But her have-to list was actually causing her to miss a profound time with Jesus that God had intended for her that day.
Jesus loved Martha. She was a good worker and a blessing often. She just needed more balance that morning. He corrected her over-busyness by words that are important not to forget; “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good part…” (Lk. 10:41,42)
CHOSE GOD’S GOOD FOR THE DAY
Make every effort to catch the “one thing necessary” and to “choose the good part” in your decisions. The one thing necessary is to please God. Mary did that time, by spending time with Him.
God’s ways are full of peace and also include ample time for concern, sensitivity, love for others and time with God. There are times for diligent work, but life must be lived in balance. Martha totally missed the boat that morning.
So don’t go into excess in either play or work… you just might end up stuck in the muck! ☺
“Have you found honey (or a blessing or an opportunity)? Eat only what you need, lest you have it in excess and vomit it.” - Proverbs 25:16
Pretty applicable!
Don Miller