The Angry Weed Eater

The noise of the weed eater wasn’t the gentle, rhythmic sound I was accustomed to. The weed eater was struggling against overgrown weeds. It sounded frustrated. Angry even. 

Maybe it was because of what I had told my hubby earlier. 

“Honey, instead of watching the neighbors work on their project, you could actually get something done at our house. Like mow the lawn and weed eat.” 

Maybe my tone wasn’t sugar sweet, but he looked at me like I had accused him of being – oh, I don’t know – lazy, maybe?

I went inside to finish up some other things while he did the yard work. That’s when my thoughts began to roam free. There were no boundaries where they went. I imagined John angry at me for bossing him around. I imagined he was seething because I had told him what to do on his weekend off. Then I heard the weed eater.

“Huh! I knew he was mad at me. I can tell by the sound of the weed eater!”

The weed eater sound? Really Ellen??

Goodness, it’s no wonder scripture tells us to take our thoughts captive. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Turns out, John was not mad at all! The weed eater, on the other hand, may have been a bit cranky at having to work…

But my husband was responding in love and getting things done around the yard.

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV

Love believes all things. It believes the best of others. It believes the goodness of others. 

What I saw was love in action. What I believed was the silly sound of imagined anger from a weed eater. What I should have believed was that love would win the day, not a piece of angry lawn equipment!

When have your thoughts and emotions run astray? How do you bring them back to reality and truth?

Father, I thank you that we have your Word to show us truth. I thank You that when emotions run amok, we can turn to You and with Your power, we can capture our thoughts and bring them into obedience to You. Praise You Lord God for guiding us! In Jesus name, Amen

Grace be with you,

Ellen

PS – Happy 26^th anniversary to my sweet weed eating, grass mowing hubby!