Shortcuts

We’ve all used them before. As children we knew the shortest path to our destination. Those of us who walked to school knew that cutting through some wet grass was often quicker than walking the sidewalks. At work we know ways to cut some corners to increase productivity. We even have a saying that encourages shortcuts—work smarter not harder. But when we take shortcuts sometimes we find that the results are not what we wanted. Walk through wet grass on the way to school and you will have wet shoes much of the day. Cut corners at work and sometimes we overlook some minor detail that becomes very important later.

In one of the more interesting stories about this very subject is found in John 4. Jesus is leaving Judea to travel back to Galilee. The customary route for such a trip would be to cross the Jordan river, walk around Samaria, and recross the Jordan in the Galilee area. Jews avoided Samaria whenever possible. But John tells us in John 4:4, “Now he had to go through Samaria.” No shortcut. And because he didn’t, he met and talked with a woman who talked with others and who brought so many to faith in Jesus.

Shortcuts do not always bring the results that we want. Jesus was presented with shortcuts throughout his ministry. Soon after his baptism led into the wilderness, Satan offered him three shortcuts. When his ministry was running strong, Peter offered him the opportunity to shortcut his work. In the garden of Gethsemane, shortcuts were in abundance. But aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t take shortcuts? While shortcuts may be clever, they may leave an impression that reflects badly on God. In our own lives there is no shortcut for integrity, honesty, truth, and faith.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.