I have fond memories as a little boy of following behind my granddaddy while he plowed with his mule. It was an era when farmers prided themselves on making their rows straight. I thought my granddaddy was the best—not a single crook, rows 300 yards long as straight as an arrow. Even then, I pondered how he did it. As a teenager, I worked for my uncle and he shared the secret of straight rows when he first taught me to plow with a tractor. “You see that tree at the end of the field. Focus on it and don’t look down at the ground or you will drift and the row won’t be straight. When you turn around, keep your eyes on the end of the row you just plowed.” Well, I had a few curves by the end of the day, but overall my uncle was pleased with my first experience at furrowing rows. I rediscovered that lesson this summer mowing my 3½ acre front lawn attempting to maintain a straight cut. Last week as I made the last summer mow, I reflected on this again. Then the Holy Spirit brought to my mind how this real life lesson from the farm, can apply to keeping straight in our Christian walk.
Just like setting my sight on a reference point while plowing, the book of Hebrews tells us we are to fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:2). The original word ‘fix’ literally means to gaze or to stare. It is to gaze with such intensity that you do not notice anything else. Peter walked on the water as long as he was looking at Jesus. When he lost his focus and noticed the storm, he began sinking. As we journey through life, we will encounter a lot of storms. The key to walking victoriously through difficult times is not allowing our spiritual eyes to drift from Jesus.
The world is also filled with distractors that can draw our attention and cause us to drift. One of the three primary categories of sin, along with lust of the flesh and pride of life, is lust of the eyes. The marketing world immerses us with images of things for which it wants us to desire or lust, and then purchase. Many of these worldly enticements are items we never thought about buying and probably did not even need. But then, we saw the ad, the lust of the eyes rose up in our flesh, and we had to have it.
One distraction that I have battled through the years is ‘cares of the world.’ Jesus taught in the Parable of the Sower that worrying about the world around us chokes our spiritual fruit. The word for ‘cares’ can also be translated distraction and is based on a root word meaning to divide. When we become distracted by the uncertainties of this world, we have divided our attention and are no longer gazing at Jesus. Cares of the world encompass an endless list—political situation of the world; family troubles; stress at the work place; even tensions at church, or anything else in life we allow to bring anxiety.
Probably the most common and most damaging concern is about money. Ok, I know we cannot live without it. However, money is not the issue; rather it is the love of money. People often misquote 1 Timothy 6:10 and say that ‘money is the root of all evil’. No, it says, For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. It is not money but the love of it. Note in the second half of this verse Paul says that some had actually wandered or drifted away from the faith because of their longing for money. In other words, they took their eyes of Jesus, focused on money, and drifted away. He also warns of the results. They have pierced or stabbed themselves and been wounded with painful sorrows. Sadly, I have witnessed friends and fellow ministers drift from living a vibrant and fruitful life and ministry to being deceived that money was the answer for themselves and the church. This quickly evolved to a longing for wealth and they wandered from the faith. Several do now have personal riches, but with it, the painful sorrows of failed ministries and wrecked families.
I read a humorous story of a farmer teaching his son to plow with a mule. Giving advice as my uncle gave me he said, “Pick out an object at the end of the field, line it up between the mule’s ears and go straight to it. Just like aiming your rife.” When the Dad return later in the day, he was startled to see, the rows zigzagged all over the field. The son explained, “I did what you said and lined up with that dark object in the pasture.” “Son that’s the cow and she was grazing. You have to line up with something that’s not going to move.” The world offers multiple systems on which people can focus: laws, codes, traditions, beliefs, doctrines, and philosophies, etc. all of which constantly fluctuate. However, only One is immovable and unchangeable, Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb. 13:8). Fix your eyes on Him, His example, and His teaching and your Christian journey will be like a straight row.
SUSTAINING WORD FOR THE WEEK: Are you where you should be in your spiritual journey? Stop drifting because of the distractors and fix your gaze on Jesus.