Have you ever noticed how our lives are a lot like a fence line? This may be a very strange analogy, but for those of us in the ag world it will make a lot of sense. In the last five months we have been working tirelessly building some new fence here on the ranch. Now new fence is a great joy, the wires stretch without breaking at the slightest tension, the new posts will hold a staple because they aren’t cracked, and the corners are straight, true and strong.

To build this new fence that we have been working on, there is a lot of prep work that has to be done before the fence can go up. The old fence that has been abandoned and left to go back to nature is full of dead trees, overgrown vines and the posts and wire are the only symbols left that there was actually a fence there at one point in time. This old fence is the symbol of what happens to our life when we fail to take care of it. When we give in to the vices of this world, we live our lives careless and without worry for self-care, we become like the old fence line. People on the outside looking in can tell that at one point in time there used to be a strong and sturdy being there, but the years have taken their toll and it’s time for a makeover.

Once the old fence has been cleared out, the trees cut back, a straight and narrow path is formed to build the new fence. The first step in this new fence is setting strong corners that will hold the wires tight and true for years and years to come. Next the first wire is strung so that the new posts will be in a straight line, each one the same distance apart from one another. After the posts become the support system for the fence the additional wires can be added, stretched and finally they can all be stapled to the new posts.

How does this new fence relate to our lives? Everything that is built to last must have a strong foundation. Whether it’s a fence, a house, a sport or our lives, without a strong foundation the rest of the fence is just a mere suggestion. The wires are our relationships. They are directly attached to the corners, or the foundation and they are supported by the posts, our support system, family, friends, community members and even those in government above us.

The new fence is shiny and fresh, full of potential and eager to face challenges head on. But the new fence is untested, if built right it will stand up to the weather, the cows that push on it thinking there will be greener grass on the other side and the strain of constant use. After a few years that new fence is going to need a little work, a broken wire or a rotten post, and the ever elusive staples that magically fall out of posts. If we take the time to maintain this new fence it will stay as strong and useful as the day it was built.

My point of this illustration is this. Maintain your life like you maintain a good fence. Keep a sturdy support system in place and mend the relationships when they need mending. If it ever gets too far gone you can always start over but just remember that you better have a strong corner, in Christ, when you do. For the fence and your life is only as good as the foundation, or corner post, that you choose to build on. That’s all for this time. Take care of your side of the barbed wire and God bless.