Be Bothered

I have a neighbor who regularly walks around the perimeter of his house, inspecting everything. He says it’s a practice he developed from back in his farming days when he used to check the fences.

I have been trying to incorporate this into my spiritual life. Every evening, I sit down and review my day. I ask God to accompany me. I thank Him for all the blessings. I ask Him to point out anything that needs attention.

Spring is here and the trees have started budding. It’s time for me to go outside and check on things that have been neglected all winter. I especially check for tree saplings near our foundation. If I don’t bother to yank those out as soon as they appear, they take root and become really difficult to get rid of. Once the tree grows, the roots can damage the foundation of the house.

Sometimes I get busy or distracted, and I don’t bother to examine my life. Sin takes root. Bad attitudes grow like weeds. By the time I notice the mess, it’s overwhelming. I’m tempted to ignore the problem and just look the other way. I can’t be bothered!

I’ve noticed I am more likely to maintain my front yard rather than my back flower beds, since it is more visible to others. Similarly, I tend to address bad habits that are noticeable to others while neglecting issues that are private.

Inspect, review, examine. Be bothered. Actively remove anything that can be harmful.