Like Kaleb’s puppy, too many times, I have cleaned with a lick and a promise. What about you?

When we give something a lick and a promise, we do our work quickly and poorly.

We don’t take the time to do it right. This can apply to:

• House work
• Personal cleaning (Children often prefer a lick and a promise rather than a full bath.)
• Jobs
• School work

The lick is the fast work. The promise is to do better later.

Sometimes we have to give a lick and a promise.

We have no choice. That can happen when we:

• Don’t have time to do a job well
• Get swamped with more work than one person can do
• Become ill and need to rest

We can’t control everything. That’s life.

We may also choose to meet more important needs.

A lick and a promise then becomes the better plan. We focus on:

• Children who hurt rather than housework
• Friends in need rather than lawn care
• A neighbor in the hospital rather than a perfect meal

When possible, we want to be Johnny on the spot and do our work well. However, when greater needs arise, we choose to tackle what matters most.

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV).

Thanks to Becky Nash Rowe for the suggestion and to Trevor Gosser with Gosser Farms for the photos.

Do you have an expression you want explained? If so, please comment below.

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