"I don't do that!"

"And neither does an old fence post!" was the preacher's reply.

I think about all the times that I have thought or said those words, "Well, at least I don't do that." or "I didn't do that."  We all have ways and sayings we use to justify our actions or inaction.  We have perfected the art of reasoning and excusing just about anything!

"The Christian life is about doing." the preacher continued and immediately I thought of all the verses I have learned since a child...

James 1:22-23  "But be ye doers of the word,"

Ephesians 6:6  "...doing the will of God from the heart;"

Galatians 6:9  "...not be weary in well doing..."

Phillippians 4:8-9  "...and heard, and seen in me, do:"

John 13:17  "...if ye do them."

As I looked at different pictures of fence posts...I noticed something.  The fence posts were there...present.

It is easy to just be!

  There were things sitting on posts, things attached to posts, and things wrapped around posts...the posts were simply there enduring what was done on them, to them, and around them. 

The action did not come from the posts! 

Interesting...the posts were standing upright because they had been set in the ground...but some were leaning...and some were rotting right where they stood.

We pat ourselves on the back that we don't do "bad stuff" that would destroy our lives.

Often, we give ourselves points for showing up...being present. 

 But we are no better than a rotting, leaning fence post! 

Fence posts are good sources for slivers!

We are content to watch (and criticize) what is going on around us...making excuses and giving reasons why "I can't do that." or "I would never do that." or "I don't do that."

As I looked at the posts...I realized that at one time there was a line of them...set straight by someone who cared and needed the protection that was offered by the fence.  The fence...was again...the part that "did the work"...but it needed the post!  In some pictures, you only saw one post in the vast field.  Due to different circumstances, some posts were gone.  In other pictures, the posts were all visible...the fence still attached and maintained.