"The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty."
Proverbs 21:5 NKJV
Each morning, as I get dressed, our dog rushes up the stairs and sits on the landing looking at me. If I move, he moves. If I sit down, so does he. After a short time, he will start walking around me as if he is trying to round me up. It can be quite frustrating as he continues to do this. What he is after, is for me to take him for a walk. He has very little patience and will soon begin to grumble, moan and whine because I am taking too long, until I am ready, when he will bark excitedly, non stop. The dog has an agenda, he wants to get out on his walk - NOW!
After watching his actions today, it reminded me of people who their lives in haste. There is the person who sits waiting for his partner to put a coat on and walk to the car. When it is not happening as quickly as they think it should, they go and wait in the the car. After two-seconds they start the car and continue to sit there. They may move the car a few inches backwards and forwards or, they may decide to do a three point turn ready to drive the other way. After what seems to them - 24 hours, the other person gets into the car and they race off before the door is closed. (This seems familiar to me)
Then there are the supermarkets. They do not like being behind another trolly and will overtake them when they get the chance, only to find that they still have to wait for their partner. At the till, they always take the shortest queue but, reserve the right to swap to another till if it appears to be moving faster. Then to their horror, they notice that the queue that they have just left is moving faster and they would have been through now. For them, this is torture.
Back in the car, they have to pull up for traffic lights but because they are taking a while to change, they keep flashing their lights to get the sensor to change the sequence. On the move again, there is a JCB in the front of them moving at 3 mph. The horror for them continues.
Do you know anyone like this? Is that anyone, you? Being hasty is not good. It's not good for the person who has to witness all of this behaviour i.e. a partner; and it is not good enough for you either. It is not doing your health any good at all but, it's hard to change all of this though. A person such as this, lives in the fast lane of life. Their speed is 70mph or faster if they can get away with it. There is a need to drop down a gear, moving to a lower speed lane. It is walking slower than you normally do; refusing to become stressed out and doing things one at a time, not all at once.
To change to this lifestyle seems impossible for the fast lane person, but with God's help you can do it. It means asking Him to order your steps and to help you see things in a more laid back sequence. It is not easy to negotiate but, it is easy, with Jesus' help. He has the ability to help you be totally at peace. Being hasty promotes disruption, arguments and stressed out lives, but the peace Jesus gives us - Shalom, Shalom, surpasses all understanding and it guards our hearts and minds.
Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard
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