Back in my dad’s cowboy days, he would ride fences with other cowboys looking for what needed mending. They also would ride draws and boggs looking for cattle that were trapped or sick in order to rescue and doctor them.
It seems strange that a person would go looking for a problem. However, it is much easier to ride upon a complication than to have a complication catch you from behind. Whatever is within our scope of maintenance, is ours to look after.
Nehemiah is one of my favorite books of the Bible. He was a Jew who became a high official in the Persian court during the Babylonian captivity. He went back and supervised the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem after his release from the Persian King, Artaxerxes I.
When he returned to Jerusalem it is recorded that he said, “I arose in the night, telling no one. I went out and viewed the walls of Jerusalem” Nehemiah 2:12-13. One of the first things he had to do when he returned to Jerusalem was to survey the damage.
Once he had identified the troubled areas he told the people, “Let us build the wall so we will no longer be a reproach” (expressing disapproval or disappointment) Nehemiah 2:17-18.
It wasn’t enough to locate the broken walls of the city, they had to repair them. If my dad, along with any other rancher, only checked for broken fences, sick or injured livestock, but failed to render a solution, it would not be long before the livelihood that was once created as a financial means of profitability would be nothing but a burden.
Nehemiah 4:17 says, “With one hand the people worked at construction. With the other, they held a weapon.” The fight doesn’t always look like galactic warriors in fierce costumes facing off to defeat the enemy. Most of the time it looks like a shovel.
Diligence was the weapon of choice for these Jews who had lived in ruins for 120 years (Jerubbaal to Ezra to Nehemiah). They were tired of living in a dilapidated city, with no form of security; sitting there in a vulnerable state, hoping things would just “work out.”
It was only when they took inventory of the broken-down walls and began to put their hands tirelessly to the task that they rebuilt the wall around their city. It’s funny, it only took them fifty-two days to rebuild the wall when they finally did something about it (Nehemiah 6:15).
I find this story comes to life when I am staring at the bathrooms that need cleaning or my flower garden that needs weeding. Most things don’t take as long as we think they do. We just get comfortable living behind our broken-down walls. And instead of picking up the shovel, we look for an excuse.
God will not respond until we start mending. He is not going to give us more when we do not take care of what we already have. God fills upon our capacity to receive.
The other day I was pruning my rose bushes. Eva could not understand why I was cutting some of the beautiful green branches? I tried explaining that to produce roses elsewhere, I had to cut off the heavy branches that were stealing all the nutrients. The dead parts she understood perfectly, but not the pruning of the healthy.
I finally explained that there were many beautiful buds on the inside of the bushes waiting for their chance to bloom, but if I didn’t create a place for them to bloom, they never would.
My rose bushes did not look very pretty after I finished cutting them back, then again, exposure is never pretty, but it didn’t take long before new branches with fresh blooms started to grow.
Part of ownership is upkeep. Whether it is in relationships, time management, or perhaps just too many activities on the calendar that we can’t possibly keep up with. Damaged fences are of no use. We must repair what needs mending.
If our marriages do not have a regular check-up, we will find ourselves not knowing our spouse. If time gets away from us, our children will turn eighteen before we catch up. Or if we ignore our homes we will wake up and find the walls beaten down and our families vulnerable to all the elements.
One thing I know I can count on is this…If there is a hole in the fence, the cattle will find it. I better be out in front looking for broken fences.
Welcome Home
“Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds…” Proverbs 27:23
If you are enjoying these posts please SUBSCRIBE, SHARE and LIKE below! You can also FOLLOW ME on Pinterest!
