21 May

Three Feet Under…

posted by Mike Blackaby

I remember the first year I started working for the Town of Cochrane for my summer job. They put me on a little John Deere mower and it took me forever to learn. However, after a few weeks I started to get the hang of it; then I started to get cocky. I would pull into the yard and kick up a dust storm as I spun into my parking spot on the gravel road. I would roll up my sleeves, put on my sunglasses and jam to my iPod as I sped around trees and playgrounds, cutting grass like a pro.

One day my supervisor told my crew to go and cut the grass at the cemetery. He warned us to be extra careful because of the soft ground. Apparently the ground had received so much rain that it had become dangerously unstable. I shrugged off the warning, muttering something about being “Master of the Blades” and eagerly jumped on my machine. When we got there, I found the ground a little soft, but nothing a pro couldn’t handle! As I neared the end of the row, I began to think of witty ways I could rub my triumph in my supervisor’s face. His warning had not been needed, he must not be familiar with mowing like I…SLUMP.

I had just sunk at least two feet into a grave. I panicked and started spinning my wheels, only to go down another foot. I had visions of zombies reaching into my machine and dragging me down to my death. I called my co-workers for help, but they only laughed harder! I was trapped. I had driven right into a small swamp and could not get out. Then I realized the phone call I had to make. It was a very humbling experience to call my supervisor and tell him what I had down with his favorite machine! Needless to say, two years later my supervisor still gives me a hard time about that incident. Now when he gives me a warning, I pay a little bit more attention!

There is a common misconception that Christianity is simply a rules-based religion. The “Do Not” list seems much longer than the “Do” list in many people’s eyes. People sarcastically say “Thou shalt not…” before referring to any moral rule. However, I’ve recently thought about the original “Thou shalt not” list found in Exodus 20, and I’m amazed at how many lives I’ve seen ruined by not following the Ten Commandments. God sees the danger we will get in if we ignore these rules, that’s why he gave them. A man once said, “I used to follow the speed limit because it was the law. Then I had a little daughter, and now I follow the speed limits because I understand why they’re in place.” The commands in the Bible are not given to tie us down but to keep us safe. Sadly, by the time many people realize what their purpose is, they are already sunk too deep.

Filed in: Humility, Journey, Trust

About the Author

Mike Blackaby is a 22 year old student who plays guitar in a rock band, loves to snowboard, play hockey, and cheers for the Colorado Avalanche. He is terrified of spiders, but loves reading fantasy novels, watching movies, taking road trips, building camp fires, and will do any roller coaster if someone goes with him. You can contact him via Facebook.

Read more about Mike here.