When cooking, we often put pots of food that need little attention on the back burner.

They don’t require as much stirring, mixing, or other work. Those pots may also need less heat.

Likewise, we put ideas or plans on the back burner.

Some plans seem less important than others. Therefore, we:

• Think less about them
• Decide to do little or nothing about them until later

A few plans stay on the back burner a long time.

We may leave them there to simmer (slow cook) until the right time. However, we may simply want to avoid them. We are fixing to do them, but not now.

• Cleaning carpets
• Working on taxes
• Pulling weeds

We cannot leave plans undone forever.

• Food on low heat eventually burns.
• Plans left undone eventually become a problem (including carpets, taxes, and weeds).

At some point, we must get the ball rolling.

A few plans should never go on the back burner.

• Our relationship with God
• Family relationships
• Helping people in need

“When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it” (Ecclesiastes 5:4 NIV).

Thanks to Carole Fite for the suggestion.

Do you have an expression you want explained or a thought about this one? If so, please comment below.

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