The Edges of Life: (Audio)

I have never been a fan of producing a showpiece when it comes to my personal space. Some want all the name brands, fanciest gadgets, top of the line so-and-so’s… I’m generally happy with my clutter and imperfections. It’s not that these other desires are wrong. I would be smug, and a bigot, (as they say in the political world today) if I said so.

It's just not what I want with the edges of my world. Click To Tweet

I want my world to be real, to me, and have a lived-in feeling. I want it enjoyed without worrying about projecting an image, promoting perfection, and protecting my personality. There are image inspectors whose job is gauging the image, fashion, branding, and labels. Happiness to them is being able to “approve” and “applaud” your image.

Okay. Now. There are some things in the edges of my life that I need to be better at controlling. If you know me, then you probably could name a few things.

But if you showed up in my neighborhood and drove by my house, you would see the “real me”. I’m not interested in “image” when it comes to my comfortable space of living! There are edges I constantly work on and need desperately to improve, but compare me to someone who has money, time or the personal drive to project a certain image, then my personal space is sadly lacking!

I was parking my truck Sunday and realized what I had allowed to fill up in the space right next to my passenger side door. In fact, I had to back up and leave some room so I could unload some gear. What??? I mean, how bad could it be? There are some pretty wild flowers growing, tall and willowy in the mild summer breeze… But wait. Those are not flowers? Those are WEEDS! They shrink, shrivel and prepare to spew their seed to the breeze when they are ripe.

Why? To propagate their species! To conquer the world! Dominate everything!

Daucus Carota

Remember, “One man’s weed is another man’s flower.”

This is a time when you need to be aware of the edges of your life!

What is this plant? It’s a “wild ancestor” to the cultivated carrot! It’s legally called the Daucus Carota, but it’s also called the “devil’s plague“. What a name! Makes you rethink what you call a flower, right?!

It probably has no value to anything around us, but let it get control of your yard then it’s as bad as the dandelion.

Those seeds from the “birds nest” fling their future far on the breeze. Anywhere they land is subject to future domination. Birds nest?!??? That’s what they call the flower as it compresses into a nest looking contraption. But tap it at the wrong time and those seeds fly into the wind!

You can control these plants, just like you control other edges of your life. Address them when they are young and small, set boundaries, establish control, edge them out, use sprays and other techniques to rid your yard of their venom. Safe! Finally! All gone…

Except… the neighbor does nothing about theirs so it becomes an ongoing annual fight to keep them at bay.

These are the edges I’m thinking about today. It’s those pesky things better handled when they are newly introduced and before they have an opportunity to spread their influence!

How do we take charge and control them so they do not control us?

We have learned to control those who want to dominate our personal space or those spendy little habits that drain the banking account, but we continue to allow those things of “no value” and “potential harm” to sprout in our spare space.

We are not in control of the edges.

Before you think anything negative about the edges of your life, Jesus taught about a farmer sowing seed and it went into all the corners of life. (Matthew 13:3-9) The hard path, the rocky areas, and even into the places of thorns and thistles. But some went into the good ground where it produced as required.

A popular lesson, I’m sure, and probably understood by so many who heard, but the disciples asked for deeper insight.  Jesus explained in (Matthew 13:18-23). The seed sown is the Word of God. The 4 areas are the sections of one’s own life.

  • The seed sown onto the hard packed path represents the hard packed areas of our life where it is easy for wicked one to catch it away so you never get to understand it. Because you’ve packed the ground tightly against the word of God.
  • The seed sown into those rocky areas represents those that receive the word with joy, but their life has no depth so little growth happens. Nurture does not happen to keep the seed producing for the future.
  • The seed sown among the thorns represents how we allow the cares of this world to override the word….

Well. Those represent the edges of our lives. Areas we are not organizing or controlling. They can be changed to areas of production with some hard work. If we do not address them, then we may be considered a little lazy, and unfruitful! Wasteful!

Do not think just because you have some good ground then you are okay! Paul taught that we all have a “measure of faith”  (Romans 12:3)

What you do with what you have says a lot of how you manage your life. Click To Tweet

Maybe the edges are more important than the way I’ve handled them. You let the edges go, and eventually, they perhaps encroach upon the good areas. Before long, your entire life may just be a mangled mess.

Let’s think about the edges of our lives. What do you need to address to make your life more productive? I know I’ve got a laundry list and need to start focusing. Today!

By Michael Gurley

Making Sense of Life, One Thought at a Time!