Overcompensation

A canoe trip is a great opportunity to study people's personalities -- I noticed a few things about mine while paddling down the Santiam and Willamette rivers last weekend.  I was in the steering position, and facilitated some impressive log dodging, I have to say, but my little ship seemed to do a fair share of zig-zagging, too.  If we drifted a bit too far to the right, I'd rudder deep, and we'd find ourselves headed left of center . . . and so on.  Granted, sometimes quick turns are necessary to save you from a nasty dunk in cold water, but swinging continually from one extreme to the other only takes more energy to cover the same distance.  It shows a lack of skill.

This observation was no surprise to me, because such action seems to be my habit in all of life.  Knowing I'm off course brings a strong reaction from me.  I head the other way, only to find that I'm still off course, just in a different direction.  Perhaps one way may be preferable for the present, but either will sooner or later have me running aground.  Only a straight and centered course, with turns where necessary, will get me to my destination most efficiently.  The best way of doing things can seem so evasive, but there is indeed a best way, God's perfect way.  It takes faithful practice and constant looking ahead to find it, but let us not just settle for floating along and wildly dodging the worst dangers!

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may

observe to do according to all the law

which Moses My servant commanded you;

do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left,

that you may prosper wherever you go.

Joshua 1:7