Are You Taking The Easy Way?

James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, took office on March 4, 1881. On his first Sunday in Washington following his inauguration, a member of the Cabinet insisted that a meeting must be called to discuss a matter that purportedly threatened a national crisis. The President refused, stating that he was already committed to another appointment. The Cabinet member insisted, telling the President that the national matter was of grave importance and that he should break his prior engagement. Still, Mr. Garfield refused to do so. Obviously appalled, the Cabinet member remarked, “I would be interested to know with whom you have an engagement so important that it cannot be broken.” Mr. Garfield replied, “I will be as frank as you are. My engagement is with the Lord, to meet Him at His house, at His table, at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning, and I shall be there.” What an example! May we, too, be so dedicated to the worship of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that we shall not forget we have a standing “prior engagement” every Sunday morning. Oh, to witness such attitudes in our Capital today.


[Matthew 7:13-14] I want to share with you an old newspaper article entitled “The Easy and The Hard” by Beverly Heirich. She started her article by saying, “When my husband and I were raising our five children, we taught them everything we knew. Now we know that wasn’t much.” She went on to say, “If we could do it over, here are some critical facts about human nature that I would start teaching them before they were old enough to brush their teeth without help.” Here are just some of the things she listed that she wished she had taught her children: * Bad is easy; Good is hard * Losing is easy; Winning is hard * Talking is easy; Listening is hard * Giving advise is easy; Taking advise is hard * Lying is easy; Truth is hard * Holding a grudge is easy; Forgiving is hard * Watching TV is easy; Reading is hard * Stop is easy; Go is hard * Dirty is easy; Clean is hard * Spending is easy; Saving is hard * Doubt is easy; Faith is hard * Criticizing is easy; Taking criticism is hard * Pride is easy; Humility is hard * Borrowing is easy; Paying back is hard * Arguing is easy; Negotiation is hard * Stupid is easy; Smart is hard * Cowardice is easy; Bravery is hard * Messy is easy; Neat is hard * An “F” is easy; An “A” is hard * Sarcasm is easy; Sincerity is hard * Growing weeds is easy; Growing flowers is hard * Having friends is easy; Being a friend is hard * Following is easy; Leading is hard * “Can’t do” is easy; “Can do” is hard. Certainly these are also very Biblical concepts. As we think about a variety of subjects addressed in the book of Proverbs, we see some similar reminders. For example, the book of Proverbs reminds us that it is easy to get a hand-out but it is hard to work (Proverbs 20:4). Also we learn from the book that it’s easy to follow, but it’s hard to lead (Proverbs 12:24), and that it’s easy to dream but hard to achieve a dream (Proverbs 13:4; 10:4). The book of Proverbs also reminds us that it is easy to make excuses but hard to make due (Proverbs 26:13), and that it is easy to spend but it hard to save (Proverbs 21:5). The greatest example of this truth, I believe, is from the lips of Jesus. He said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” As I think about the article and apply it to God’s words, I can’t help but ask myself, “Am I taking the easy way?” Mrs. Heirich ended her article with a noteworthy thought, “Easy is its own reward. Hard is much, much finer.” “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4). It’s getting dark.