Last week we got a notice that the streets in our quiet neighborhood
would be redone. We knew this would create
a disruption, but were happy to put up with it.
Over the years, some of the trees have become so large, and the roots
have been breaking up the asphalt and not only creating cracks and crevices,
but actually lifting up the road into bumps and quite sizable mounds.
Good!, said my
husband, I sure hope they take care and
dig up those roots before they restore the surface.
Few days later the neighborhood was invaded by large
machinery and orange-clad county workers. The kids were mesmerized as we
watched our old road being all torn up. Destruction, dust and deafening noise
reigned for days. We changed our usual walk-to-school rout to avoid (or at
least limit) the exposure to the mess and the chaos. The day finally arrived when the last layer
of new asphalt was poured out all smooth and shiny black.
The brand-new streets looked beautiful. Excited to take our first drive on the new
road, we piled up into the car and got on our way. Hardly had we passed the
third house when we felt the car rolling over the familiar bump.
Hey, they never took care
of those roots! Exclaimed my do-it-right-or-don’t-do-it-at-all half. They just put a new layer of asphalt over
it. What’s the point?!!!
I took his last statement as an invitation to pull out my
well-worn Devil’s Advocate hat and begun to list all the possible reasons explaining
if not excusing the shoddy job.
It’s hard work,
dealing with roots… I mused. They
probably thought it was too expensive, too time-consuming, so they settled for
the ‘good-enough’ of cosmetic change. Maybe they didn’t think it was their job to deal with the roots. Or that anybody would even notice… Maybe they
just saw it more like a home-improvement project, replacing an old shaggy
carpet and wallpapering the hairline cracks, while all along you are talking
about costly repairs of the structural damage… fixing the crack in the foundation…
Explanations or excuses, the bump remains, covered up with
the smooth, shiny asphalt… Now it’s only a matter of time when the cracks will begin
to reappear again.
The voice of one
crying in the wilderness:
Make the road smooth and straight!
Every ditch will be filled in,
Every bump smoothed out… Luke 3:4-5
These people honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.
Neglecting the commandment of God,
you hold to the
tradition of men. Mark 7:6-8
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