Cutting corners

by Dr. Don Kuehle, United Methodist, Retired, Jackson, Mo.

Our son was living in an apartment in town. One day he announced: "I got a good deal on a house-trailer; I’d like to move it out to the farm."

Great news! Good idea! Only one slight problem – the trailer was 80 feet long; the lane leading into the farmstead was narrow, with several sharp s-curves! Manuvering the house-trailer around those s-curves was difficult indeed. In fact, we had to cut down the bank on one curve just in order to get the house-trailer to its home. Gave a whole new meaning to the term "cutting corners."

In horse-and-buggy days, "cutting the corner" meant cutting directly across instead of swinging wide when one came to a corner or sharp curve.

The driver probably saved three or four seconds by doing so. But, by "cutting the corner" the driver ran a great risk of hitting the curb and either overturning the buggy or wagon, or risked ruining a wheel. He also ran the risk of colliding with another driver coming from the opposite direction.

In our modern-day world, "cutting corners" refers to getting the job done as quickly as possible, with the least amount of effort and expense.

The result is often the use of cheap materials, shoddy workmanship, and poor quality.

What happens when we apply the "cutting corners" philosophy to our personal lives? Do we risk harming ourselves, and others? Do we run the risk of injury, and possible heath? Will taking the easy way ever result in a high-quality life? Finally, it’s all up to us, isn’t it!

God, in the beginning, fashioned us in His own likeness. He placed us in this wondrous world He designed. God gave us full responsibility for all that He created: for the universe for this world, and for our individual lives. When God created all things, He never once "cut corners." God created Life – rich, full, abundant! God was not in a hurry; He took His time. God

created, and used, only the best. A God-like life is a top-quality life!

Adam and Eve (that’s us) had it all, they had the very best. But, they figured that they could do a better job than God, and decided to replace God’s plan with their own plans (that’s what we call sin). The result?

Chaos. Destruction. Heart-break. Lonliness. Confusion. Greed. Jealousy and envy. Lust . Anger and Hatred. Selfishness. Despair. Hopelessness. Death. Mere existence, devoid of true life.

God continued to love us. He continued to care about all that He had made, including you and me. God was disappointed is us. God, however, is still in charge! He sent His Son to make everything "right" again. Jesus shows us how life was intended to be lived. Jesus is the Foundation, the Solid Rock, upon which "the good life" must be built. Jesus, God’s Word, informs us what materials must go into a God-like life/building: humility, sorrow for our sin, gentleness and kindness, a hunger to be "right" with God and with people, the ability to forgive and show mercy, good intentions leading to good actions, the desire to live peacefully with everyone, patience, truthfulness and honesty, the ability to season all of life with God’s love, the desire to let God’s light shine in us and through us – so that others might want to live the God-like life.

There are no short-cuts to building a Christ-like life! In driving, in building, and in living, "cutting corners" is too risky! Life is too short, and our lives too important to settle for anything than the very best!