Growing up, my dad seemed like a tyrant when it came to household chores. Each day the same tasks had to be carried out. If they weren't done well, I'd have to repeat them. But no chore was more important than keeping a well maintained yard. I remember one time in particular when I was forced to go back and mow the the yard again on a lower setting, less than 10 minutes after I had finished the first time. My father felt it should be a quarter of an inch shorter. Had I read my Bible I totally would have had ammunition to use against him. I would have quoted to him proudly, "Deuteronomy 24 says do a poor job on the chores!”
It's interesting to me that God is a sloppy gardener. If there was ever a weird statement in the Old Testament, it’s “Don’t beat the olive tree twice!” What a crazy law. How random? But the heart of God shines through this odd law: Those who have are to look after those who have not!
How cool is it that God is looking out for the needs of you and me!?! He's not so self-absorbed that he forgets about the needs of others. He focuses on taking care of those who don't have enough. When you harvest the grain, leave a little behind. When your picking olives, don't do too good of a job-someone who's hungry may come by. How nuts is that? What would the world be like if we lived like this?
Truth is, God's not sloppy at all. He's always thinking about others! So may you choose to be diligent and work hard, but not simply so you can have more. May you look to the needs of others, knowing that we're to take care of each other as God takes care of us!
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