“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:29-30
Too Much for a Reason
Perhaps in a moment of insanity, Daura and I recently ordered a fifth wheel RV.
Actually, having just turned 55 years old, I’m looking forward to the next chapter of life and what God has in store. As part of our new venture, I must purchase a different truck. My little Toyota Tacoma, four-wheel drive or not, is no match for an 18,000-pound fifth wheel.
Consequently, I’ve become familiar with payload acronyms that in the past were foreign to me. Terms such as Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVW), Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), and the list goes on.
Margin is the Reason
While these ratings may seem unimportant to some, they are critical to me.
Why?
My family’s safety is at risk. If I “under truck the trailer” the fifth wheel will “over trailer the truck,” and there will be consequences to pay! Some salesmen advised me that a ¾ ton truck would be fine—in other words, you can get by with it if you are careful.*
Yet, having been through MD5 and understanding the importance of margin, I don’t want to just get by—I want to be able to relax and enjoy the ride when traveling! Thus, I’m buying more truck than I actually need to allow plenty of margin for safety.
When it comes to life, we tend to create just enough margin to get by. As a result, we are often in a dangerous situation trying to carry more of a load than our capacity can handle—morally, financially, spiritually, and otherwise. Often with good intentions, we overload our capacity, suffer for it, and fail to enjoy the ride.
The Best Margin Example
Jesus invites us to live differently. He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly—both now and in the future. He invites us to yoke up with Him and let Him do the heavy pulling!
Dallas Willard, author of several classics including The Spirit of the Disciplines and Hearing God, was once asked to describe Jesus in one word.
His answer?
Relaxed.
Here is a litmus test for whether we are living with margin or not--are we relaxed? Are we enjoying the ride?
If not, yoking up with Jesus is the first step!
Steve Crawley
MD5 Facilitator
*The photo is not an exact representation