Mustard on the Hotdog

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“My yoke is easy. My burden is light.” Matthew 11:30. For years, I’ve busted my hump with a works-based mentality thinking, “If I just accomplish this goal, get this recognition, please the right person, grease the right palm…then I'll be happy, fulfilled, and successful.” Ironically, with this mindset, rarely did I put any actual work into my works-based faith. Oh, I labored all right. It’s hard work cheating, stealing, copying others and being fake all the time. It’s not easy creating mask after mask to fit in and maintain a reputation; a self-perceived reputation at that. Those honest folks who were true to themselves probably saw right through my facade and pitied my vain efforts.

The point is, Jesus said, “My yoke is easy. My burden is light.” The work God has for me is always the path of least resistance. It speaks to my soul, lights up my spirit, and inspires me to be my best. I’m not saying God’s will is easy. He said it, not me! Wow, I just realized that. God said His yoke is easy. When I’m struggling and scrambling to force a situation to a particular end, I feel awful. Anxiety consumes me and I become restless, irritable, and discontent. Fear takes over my thoughts and I become impatient. When I just go with the flow and let go of my wants, desires, ideas, and expectations, God directs my life and things go off without a hitch. Or is it with a hitch? Is the hitch good or bad? I can’t remember…

Nevertheless, God’s will is easy because He gives me things to do utilizing the unique gifts He’s already equipped me with. Take this blog for instance. God spoke to my spirit and said, “Write.” He didn’t tell me what to write, how much to write or who to share the writing with. Now, if I stressed out trying to get all those answers before obeying Him, I’d be full of fear; anxious and depressed. All He said was, “Write.” And I’m a writer; no problem! He gave me a task utilizing skills He’s already equipped me with. God didn’t say, “Brandon, I need you to learn Arabic by tomorrow because you have to teach an Advanced Calculus class in the Middle East next Tuesday.” No, He didn’t say that because that request would be the furthest thing from “easy” and “light”.

Hard-work, elbow grease, and gumption produce a lot of pretty leaves (see The God-Shaped Hole). Here’s an example: I’m an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. However, if not for the work of my father, I never would’ve received the esteemed award. He kept me on track in regards to the required service project; filling out paperwork, reminding me of deadlines, doing research, and making phone calls. My dad is the real Eagle Scout. That is an honor on my resume, a leaf on my tree that wouldn't be there if it wasn’t for my him.

Whoa, Eagle Scout is an award I didn’t earn and don’t deserve? It’s only through the work of my father that I received it? Does anyone else see where I’m going with this? Talk about personal revelations, holy cow! *Disclaimer: Brandon Stephens is not Hindu and does not revere the Bovine species as divine. In no way, shape or form was the previous statement meant to belittle or insult those practicing Hinduism.* Great, there goes my speaking tour in India. Are folks from India even Hindu? I’m so geographically ignorant sometimes. And here's why...

In high school, I used my stellar reputation to cut class and manipulate teachers into thinking I had band practice or Student Council when really, I just wanted to walk the halls and be seen. I graduated 5th in my class (5^th out of 117 students but still, 5^th ain’t bad). In 2001, I received the prestigious award, “Student of the Year,” with the Bordentown Elks. Student of the Year! I got high every single day my senior year. I quit running track and started selling weed. I slept with people’s girlfriends and stole merchandise from stores. I lied and cheated, used and manipulated everyone I could. I drove drunk and should be dead from some of the situations I put myself in at 18 years old. But, when pitted against actual scholars, real humanitarians, talented musicians, and gifted athletes, they called my name at the awards ceremony and dubbed me “2001 Student of the Year.”

Why? Why me? Was it due to the abundance of fruit my life produced? No. It was because of my exquisite leaves (see The God-Shaped Hole). You see, I looked great on paper. College prep classes, varsity letters in soccer and track, Eagle Scout, Honor Roll, Student Council Vice President, Concert and Jazz Band, etc. In actuality, I cut every corner and took the easy way out as often as I could for as long as I can remember. My “easy” way and God’s easy way are two totally different things however. Here's a real-life scenario from high school to illustrate my point:

There's a test coming up. God’s easy way is for me to stay in class, pay attention, takes notes, and study. My “easy” way is to make up an excuse to miss class (fear getting caught), copy someone’s homework after stressing to find a classmate to manipulate (fear getting caught), then try to cram for the test the night before only to skip class the day of the test, certain to fail. Phase Two of my “easy” way is to show up to class the day the teacher goes over the test and fill in all the correct answers on a stolen, blank exam. That way, at the end of the semester when my grade stinks, I can ask the teacher why my mark is so low. After telling me that I missed a test, I say, “That’s impossible. I took all the tests. Let me check my notebook.” Then, I turn in the answer sheet with a forged “100%” on top, receive an “A” for the marking period, and an apology from the teacher. That's my easy way.

I lived that way for a long time, never realizing how preposterous the behavior was. Fancying myself slick, I felt bad for the poor suckers wasting their time doing the right thing. I felt like “the man” when those same suckers reluctantly handed over their homework or let me copy their tests. Little did I know, the joke was on me. All those years spent scheming and conniving, lying and manipulating created an emptiness inside of me that could not be filled with anything in this world. The aforementioned test scenario is just one of countless others throughout my lifetime illustrating my depravity.

With all the sneaky stuff I did to get good grades, those grades were all I got. Like those Jewish leaders in the Bible that prayed loudly in the streets and sounded a trumpet every time they gave to the poor, I hoped everyone would take notice of my virtue. Well, the praise of men was all we got. People are impressed with leaves. God isn’t.

Even if no one reads this blog and I don’t receive one shred of human recognition for this project, obediently using the gifts God gives produces fruit for Him. I have absolute faith that as I continue to spend time with Him and obey the leading of His Spirit within me, all my needs will be met with exceeding grace and abundance. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you." When God is my priority, the demands and expectations of the world lose their power. Their importance and urgency fade as I surrender to the idea, “God’s will, not mine be done.”

My will is to say yes to everyone asking for a piece of my time and labor. My will is to overwork for underpay because it’s the “right” thing for a family man to do. My will is to walk on eggshells in order to please everyone all the time. My will is to criticize and judge others in order to feel good about myself. My will is to exclude others and live in a world so small, nothing or no one new will have a chance to hurt me.

God’s will is for me to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others as I love myself. That’s it. And how do I go about loving God? By obeying Him. When He says, “Write,” I write. Do I get it perfect all the time? Nope. Do I get it perfect ever? I doubt it. But it doesn’t matter. God doesn’t judge me by my actions. He judges me by my clothes.

Today, I’m clothed in Christ. All God sees when He looks at me is His Son. My failures and shortcomings, my laundry list of depravity has been blotted out and is illegible. Sure, leaves are beautiful to the eye and beauty is made to be appreciated. But fruit is what satisfies the Lord’s hunger (see Delusions of Grandeur). Obeying God produces fruit. Any leaves that sprout thereafter are just mustard on the hotdog, baby!


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