Go Against the Grain
If we work with wood, we don’t usually go against the grain. We work in the natural direction of the wood’s fibers. That is true whether we work with new wood or old. It is also true whether we:
- Sand the wood to make it smooth
- Paint or stain it
- Clean or polish it
Years ago, I put new stain on a beautiful piece of furniture. In one spot, I brushed against the grain. That one mistake stood out from all the rest.
In life, if we go against the grain, we go against what we want to do. That often means standing firm against popular opinion.
Our natural desire leads us to follow the crowd. Standing firm for what we believe can be difficult when few people stand with us. Yet, the crowd is not always right.
So how do we decide the direction to go?
Avoid
- Going along with everyone else just because it is easy
- Going against the grain simply for attention
Do
- Educate ourselves
- Choose what is right, whether it goes against the grain or not.
“Hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 NIV).
Thanks to Suellen Shaw for the idea.
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Photo courtesy of morgueFile.