• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SingleRoots

You're more than your dating life

  • Conversations
    • Christian Singles and Life
    • Christian Singles and Sexuality
    • Christian Singles and The Church
    • Christian Singles and Online Dating
  • Resources
    • Resources for Christian Singles
    • Christian Singles Humor
    • Online Dating Tips
  • Dating Site Reviews
    • Best Christian Dating Sites in 2025
    • eharmony Review (Editor’s Choice)
    • Zoosk Review
    • Christian Mingle Review
    • Christian Cafe Review
  • About
  • Online Dating Deals

Negotiating Terms With God

Brandon Howard

Latest

Brandon Howard

I created a bigger mess than when I started...

Growing up in the Friday Night Lights era of West Texas brought many of the benefits we all think of: high school football games, church potlucks, friendly neighbors, and grasshoppers living for a day or two in an old shoe box on my dresser. With all the great benefits came a few costs too.

Our house sat at the dead end of a cul-de-sac, and while it was modest in size, the property lines were drawn in such a way that Bill Gates would have had ample room to build a palatial homestead. West Texas summers brought hot, dry, miserable days of circling the property behind a mower, cutting down Bermuda grass that was determined to be back just as long every single week.

Dad took tremendous pride in his lawn and, despite my constant protest, insisted that I get up early every Monday before the temperature reached three digits to spend a few hours giving it a manicure. He would wake me up early each week before heading to work, but typically I would procrastinate and stretch it out for hours making it more miserable and harder than it ever had to be. One particular week, I decided it really wasn’t necessary to do it at all, so I slept in and chose Bob Barker over obedience. Around 10:30 in the morning the phone rang. It was Dad.

“Son, I’m only going to tell you this one more time. Go mow the lawn. Now.”

I went out and gassed up the mower, but I was mad. This was stupid, I thought to myself, and I had more important things to do. So instead of mowing in a big square like I was taught, I decided I could do it however I wanted.

I started the mower and pushed it through the backyard zigging and zagging my way in circles and loops leaving huge patches and dots of grass everywhere. After 30 minutes of haphazard effort, I killed the motor and looked around.

What I had created was a bigger mess than when I started.

Had I been obedient, the lawn would have already been completely cut and attractive. Instead, it now was a glaring example of half-hearted effort, approach, or planning.

My earthly father was up early and home late each night providing for his family and asked me to do my part of the household chores. By taking a simple task lightly, I created a bigger eyesore of the yard than what was already there. My dad didn’t kick me to the curb when I messed up, but there were explicit directions for those living in his house.

Our Heavenly Father has also asked those of us who live in His house to approach discipleship with the understanding and willingness required to complete the entire task. In other words, if we truly learn of His love and mercy our heart will prompt us to act accordingly.

 “28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him.” {Luke 14:28-29, ESV}

Christians are the mouthpieces and the standard-bearers of the Father to the unsaved world.

We are the Church and our work is a reflection of Him. Would we build a house by piling wooden beams and sheet rock on a foundation and then walk away? Of course we wouldn’t. The effort would be wasted in creating something uglier than had we never started. In the same way, when we approach discipleship with bad attitudes, poor planning, and haphazard effort, we create a blemish in the eyes of the world that is far more negative than anything that existed prior to our half-hearted effort.

For example, how often do you see the world with negative and resistant attitudes to Christ because of the lackluster effort put forth in living righteously by those claiming to be His followers?

The true test of the condition of your discipleship of Christ’s teachings is the way in which your actions play out daily.

Are you truly ready to take up your cross and follow him or do you mow His yard how, when, and where you choose?

The world is watching the example that we set to form its opinion not only of our “religion,” but our Savior. Just as the enemy is barred from eliminating the price Jesus paid for our birthright, neither do we have the right to negotiate the terms under which we follow His lead and work in His fields.

If you want to live in His house, be ready to work in His yard.

 

*Photo credit: brendan-c

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Growth Tagged With: childhood, discipleship, obedience, procrastination, tasks

Brandon Howard

Until he figures out what he wants to do when he grows up, Brandon works in sales. He's a fledgling foodie with a penchant for making a mess in the kitchen or on himself and a sports enthusiast with a tendency to get really excited at the mere mention of "Texas Rangers." His guilty pleasures include bacon cheese burgers, Sonice cherry cream Dr. Pepper's, and wrestling with his terrier mutt, Oliver. After years of perfecting the craft of bachelorhood, Brandon asked his friend, Carrie, to coffee. However, he forgot to tell her it was a date, and he wore way too much cologne. Eventually he married her, proving God really does perform miracles. You can follow Brandon on Twitter @WBrandonHoward.

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Recent Posts in Life

  • Contentment in Unwanted Singleness: Marriage Can’t Fill the Ache

    Contentment in Unwanted Singleness: Marriage Can’t Fill the Ache

    7 years ago
  • The Struggle to Find My Place in the Church

    The Struggle to Find My Place in the Church

    7 years ago

Recent Posts in Sexuality

  • Contentment in Unwanted Singleness: Marriage Can’t Fill the Ache

    Contentment in Unwanted Singleness: Marriage Can’t Fill the Ache

    7 years ago
  • What Are You Dwelling On?

    What Are You Dwelling On?

    8 years ago

Recent Posts in Online Dating

  • Best Christian Dating Sites in 2025 :: Pick the Right One for You

    Best Christian Dating Sites in 2025 :: Pick the Right One for You

    6 years ago
  • Christian Mingle Review in 2025 :: Christian Singles Tell It Like It Is

    Christian Mingle Review in 2025 :: Christian Singles Tell It Like It Is

    7 years ago

See All 2025 Dating Site Rankings

eH high reseHarmony Special Offer stars
Read Review Visit eharmony
Zoosk stars
Read Review Visit Zoosk
Christian Mingle Logo high res stars
Read Review Visit ChristianMingle
christian cafe stars
Read Review Visit ChristianCafe
 

See All 2025 Dating Site Rankings

Join the singles conversation!

We won't spam your inbox with endless amounts of emails, but we will send you updates of the latest discussions taking place within the SingleRoots community.

Footer

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

About

About Us

Write for Us

Contact Us

Disclosure

From time to time we will offer products through affiliate links. If you purchase an item through that link, SingleRoots will receive an affiliate commission. Just keeping it real. Gotta pay the bills, yo.

Looking for a post on a specific topic?

Copyright © 2025 · Showcase Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in