Plowing a straight line
Jesus shared these words “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Lk. 9:62. I once was given a job of plowing a field. One of the first things I realized when plowing is how difficult it is to plow a straight row. In the east there are rolling hills with uneven ground which constantly required adjusting the steering to stay on course. The wheels of life continue to take us over ups and downs as well as uneven ground requiring a continual adjustment if we expect to plow in a straight line or remain on course toward victory. In order to stay the course it was helpful to choose an object at the far end of the field such as a tree, fence post, etc. as a point of reference to aim for in order to maintain a straight path. Because the tractor was always in motion any looking back had to be limited to a short glance to avoid veering off course. Jesus words are a reminder of how alluring it may be for us to look back as opposed to looking forward especially when the going may get a little tough. When we set Jesus as the object of our focus in plowing the furrow of our life we can be much more confident that the results will turn out straight. Even if we do mess up we can always recover by turning our focus back toward Jesus and He will guide us back on course. He is focus for charting our course.
Jesus, you are my steady guide
Always with you may I abide
When plowing fallow ground in me,
Keep me focused on you to see.
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