If 20” or so of snow falls in a 24 hour
period, it will eventually have to be removed. If it is not, getting in and out
of one’s driveway will prove to be hazardous, if not impossible. Indeed, the snow
will need to be removed from the driveway, sidewalk, etc. Well, there is the option of letting nature take its
course and allowing the snow to melt. Yet aside for the soon to be seen irony with
that choice, let us simply acknowledge that will make getting around your place
extremely difficult and treacherous for quite some time. In fact, many people
could even get hurt in the process.
Since the snow needs removed, one has a
few options, of which we will look at two. One option is to wait until it is
all done snowing, at least as best as one can tell, and then remove all 20” of snow
at once. Another option is to go out a few times during the snowstorm and
remove smaller amounts; obviously this will include scooping snow more than once
to finish the job.
Option one, shoveling 20” of snow at one
time, is no small feat. Even for someone in good physical condition, it will
take a lot of time and effort. In fact, one may need to stop a time or two
while doing a driveway, sidewalk, and/or deck. Indeed, doing this much snow at
once would likely seem to be a daunting and impossible task. One might even get
frustrated and discouraged while doing it – especially if one were doing it
alone.
In option two, lesser amounts of snow
could be done at breaks in the day – especially if it were a true “snow day”
(i.e., a day without normal work). One could scoop a few inches shortly after
waking up, scoop some more upon returning from work late in the morning (or
else risk getting stranded away from home), then go back out in the afternoon,
and perhaps in the evening as well. To be certain, this will still take time
and effort, but the overall time and effort will be less. Well, the time might
be a bit more, but I doubt it. Yet for certain the strain on one’s back is much
less in dealing with 3-6” of snow multiple times as opposed to 20” at once. In fact, you
cannot manually scoop 20” of snow at once. Indeed, one would be forced to scoop
their way down to the bottom; either straight down or by taking a layer, then
doing another layer, and likely another layer (not to mention those difficult icy footprints and tire tracks on the bottom layer).
Now what does this have to do with sin?
Actually, I would not be surprised if many of you already know where I am going
with this. When it comes to sin in our lives we have two basic choices: a) let it pile up until something has
to be done with it – usually because of some sort of consequence or difficulty
one now faces, or b) deal with it as
it occurs in one’s life.
Simply stated, dealing with sin is
difficult; there is always fallout – somewhere. What do I mean by fallout? I
mean your sin never impacts
only you…it impacts others around you as well. We can pretend it does not, but
it always does (e.g., read the Bible).
I would like to expound on the above
analogies and draw comparisons, but I think you all can do that. So, instead of
that, I will give an example of “a”
and “b” with a common sin that is
often overlooked – anger.
Actually, I will not. Not this time at
least. I will simply end by stating the fact; sin has to be dealt with – sooner
or later.
It can “accumulate” in one’s life until
it is “too big” and “too daunting” and therefore people feel defeated before
they ever start to address it. This is option “a” above. Or, one can live a repentant life and deal with sin as
they are convicted by the Holy Spirit (option “b”). To be certain, this still takes effort and is daunting at
times…but it is much more manageable – not to mention godly.
Oh yes, there is also a “c” option, you know, the “irony” from
the second paragraph of this post. This option is to do nothing and let nature
run its course. Well, in the course of sin – it is death. Granted, for those “in
Christ” things are different…but it certainly leads to a lot of frustration, a lack
of fruit, in short – bondage to the forces of darkness. This should never be
the option of a follower of Jesus. Yet sadly, and ironically, it is often chosen; sometimes
by default, other times as a preference.
We will continue again – likely by
showing options “a” and “b” in relation to anger. Who knows,
maybe option “c” will be included, I
do not know. Yet this I do know, Jesus came to ‘destroy' the works of the devil
(1Jn3:8). Yes, take heart, Jesus has overcome the world! (cf. the Bible).
