'Kicking The Can Down The Road'

Often when a 'sticky-wicket' cropped up in our family, we'd delay dealing with it; frankly it was a reoccuring habit.  But one day, Aunt Deedie, decided to confront the habit:  'stop kicking the can down the road' she'd say.  Translated:  stop the delay, puncture the procrastination.  For Aunt Deedie knew:  not tackling trouble, doesn't solve trouble; it only makes it worst.

Scripture also admonishes: 'stop kicking the can down the road.'  “…Don’t squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given…” Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6 “… [For] God reminds us --  ‘I heard your call in the nick of time; The day you needed me, I was there to help. Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped…” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2, The Message).   

But a lot of us doubt that.  Rather than looking for the right time to tackle trouble, we’re looking for the perfect time to tackle trouble.  But there is no perfect time to tackle trouble. 

During WWII Neville Chamberlain, England’s Prime Minister, kept looking for the perfect time to tackle trouble: the dreaded Nazi’s.  But the perfect time never came, and so Chamberlain put off confrontation, adopting a policy of appeasement with the Nazi’s.  But trouble isn't appeased, trouble must be confronted – or else -- trouble gets bigger and meaner!  And sure enough the Nazi’s, Chamberlain’s 'trouble,' got bigger and meaner, eventually evading the country of Poland.   

Well in due season, Chamberlain was removed and a new Prime Minister was elected; but just any Prime Minister: Winston Churchill was elected, who declared upon taking office: “The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.” – Winston Churchill.  I like that!  For when we avoid delay – when we puncture procrastination – consequential things – impactful – life-changing things do happen.  Why the very trouble we assumed could not be tackled – becomes the very trouble we can tackle.  

For the truth of God, the gospel, is greater than any trouble.  Why the embrace of the Father is greater than the pain and anguish of my failure: Luke 15:20-24.  The power of the Spirit is greater than the greed and nastiness of my opponent: Romans 12:9-21.  The blood of the Savior is greater than the stain and horror of my sin: Isaiah 1:18.   

And so Jesus doesn't exaggerate when Jesus declares in John 8:  "If you hold to my teaching [to my gospel]....then you will know the truth -- and the truth will set you free..."  (John 8:31-32).  

And so know the truth!  Beginning with the truth about yourself; don't 'put-off' trouble, tackle trouble.  But most importantly, know the truth about God, for God's truth, in Jesus is greater than any trouble, able to overcome any challenge, calamity or menace!